Death's Vow
by AlphaUnit
Summary: Naruto x Bleach crossover. After a life of pain and bloodshed, a broken Naruto has died. But instead of winding up with the rest of his deceased loved ones, he finds himself in Soul Society.
1. Voice of the Dead

Greetings to you all from the author. While this is not my first attempt at writing fanfiction, this is my first time doing it on this site and I believe this will be my first story which will go more than a few pages. Reviews are appreciated, contructive criticism is appreciated. Keep in mind that a lot of the story I already have determined, I just need to write it, so ideas for where to take the story, while appreciated, will most likely be ignored. Also this will be at least slightly AU for both Naruto and Bleach so don't flame me for any inconsistencies with the real storylines. Remember, there is a method to my madness, so at least wait a chapter or two if you have any questions about what's going on to see if I resolve it.

Note: I do not own Naruto or Bleach or much of anything else. I am simply a poor college student who decided to write some of the crazy things my head has come up with.

Background: After a life of pain and bloodshed, a broken Naruto has died. But instead of winding up with the rest of his deceased loved ones, he finds himself in Soul Society. Our story starts as he graduates from the Shinigami Academy.

Prelude

Voice of the Dead

"Congratulations to all of you who have survived the past six years. Know that your instructors have every confidence in the fact that each and every one of you is now a strong and capable shinigami…" Uzumaki Naruto stood alongside his classmates as they were officially made shinigami, the keepers of balance between the real and spirit worlds, and guardians of the Seireitei. Tuning out the rest of the overly long and terribly uninspired speech, Naruto's hand caressed the hilt of his Zanpakuto as he let his mind wander.

_Six years. Has it really been that long. Have I really been dead that long. The time in the academy seemed to drag on forever and yet, I can't get rid of the feeling that just yesterday, I was alive in Konoha. _

The speaker droned on but Naruto's eyes were closed, letting his mind wander to memories he rarely bothered to visit.

_It was spring last time I was there. The Sakura trees were in full bloom, almost made it seem like it was snowing. The small brook under the bridge at Team 7's old training grounds was slightly swollen from the increased rain. _

The graduates were instructed to stand and state their names, unsheathing their Zanpakuto. They were even given permission to release their Shikai if they had achieved it. Several of the 'prodigies' did just that, making sure everyone knew how much better they were than their peers. Naruto dismissed them, only paying a minute amount of attention to the proceedings, his mind still lost in his past.

_Baa-chan gave me the day off, knowing fully what day it was and where I would spend it. I can still remember clearly each and every name carved into the memorial stone. I probably spent more time there than Kakashi ever did, staring at those names which seemed to be carved with blood. Then again, Kakashi's name wound up there too, alongside his friends, his family. He stuck by his nindo to the end, earning his spot among Konoha's heroes._

Naruto was last in the line of Shinigami and it was finally his turn. The order was determined by class rank. Inwardly, Naruto couldn't help but snort at the fact that _dead-last_ had become one of the more prevalent nicknames for him around the Shinigami academy. If only in his own head, Naruto thought it was amusing that even here he got pinned with the nickname. Slowly standing, he drew his Zanpakuto in a simple move which did not expend any energy on useless flourishes and left him with a perfectly balanced defensive guard.

_I wonder if anyone bothered to carve my name after I died. I wonder if there was anyone left to carve my name. So many went before me. So many died…because of me._

Naruto's cold blue eyes swept over the audience, mostly vice-captains for various squads scouting for new recruits. Few in the crowd could suppress the shiver that ran through them at meeting the eyes of the blonde. Naruto opened his mouth and softly spoke two words. "Uzumaki Naruto." His voice was flat and emotionless, betraying nothing of his inner feelings. It was the voice of the dead.

Smoothly sheathing his blade, Naruto sat down just as slowly as he had risen, dead silence filled the room for several seconds before the speaker was able to continue. "Again, congratulations to all of you. You will be contacted within the next several days about your squad assignments. Good luck to you all." And with that Uzumaki Naruto once again put academy days behind him. Walking without any haste, he began to head back towards the dorms, which he was expected to vacate within the week. Once more allowing his mind to wander, Naruto paid little heed to where his feet took him.

_No more will others die because of me, no more will I have to watch as those I love are cut down before me. I may not have anyone to love here, but I'll be damned if I allow anyone else to feel that pain. That's a promise._

The look in Naruto's eyes discouraged any interaction on any level with the blonde as he made his way back to his room. Unnoticed by all around him and even to himself, Naruto's knuckles were white where he gripped the hilt of his weapon. A slight breeze as he took a shortcut through the school gardens brought the scent of sunflowers to his nose. The mask of coldness which Naruto had maintained for six years seemed to crack for an instant as his eyes widened, the twin sapphire orbs glistening slightly. Pausing a moment to close his eyes and collect himself, Naruto couldn't help but wonder what had caused this slight break in his meticulously maintained façade. Continuing on, Naruto finally reached his room. Closing the door behind him, the blonde slowly sat down on his bed and closed his eyes.

A final stray thought wandered through his head, betraying his mask. _It seems like only yesterday I planted sunflowers on her grave._ And with that Uzumaki Naruto, former shinobi of Konohagakure, jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and newly graduated Shinigami, for the first time in six years, wept.


	2. Purpose of a Blade

Greetings again to you all. I would like to apologize for the delay, but school has picked up for me so I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. Even then, I was stuck a little bit in how I wanted to do this chapter, but I think it turned out pretty well. As always, reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated. Also, just so everybody knows, the whole issue of why Naruto is alone in Soul Society will be addressed soon, it isn't something I simply forgot about so have patience. I have a pretty good idea of where I want everything to go and how to resolve everything so don't worry about that. Hope you enjoy.

Note: I don't own Bleach or Naruto. Just like playing around in their worlds.

Chapter One

Purpose of a Blade

_"Fuzzy-brows. Cover me on the left while I deal with Itachi."_

_"Hai, Naruto-kun!" The green clad ninja charged at the much larger opponent, his chained weapon whirled around him in his own unique style. His opponent blocked the first strike with his massive sword, but was pushed on the defensive by the rapid strikes coming from Lee's whirling _dai chui

_"Naruto-kun, didn't you learn last time we faced each other, it was unwise for you to do so alone." Uchiha Itachi's blazing sharingan met the crystal blue eyes of Uzumaki Naruto. They morphed into the shape of a shuriken. Naruto smirked as he drew his blade._

_"Sorry, Itachi, Tsukuyomi won't work on me again, a little byproduct from the furball." Naruto's eyes flashed red briefly. Itachi stared at him for a moment as if reassessing him._

_"Do not assume, Naruto-kun, that the Mangekyou is the only advantage I hold over you." His eyes retook their three tomoe form even as he seemed to vanish in front of Naruto's eyes. Gracefully spinning on the balls of his feet, Naruto's katana halted the wakizashi that had been attempting to behead him. "Impressive, Naruto-kun, you truly have improved." Naruto grinned before launching into a deadly set of slices and thrusts, each being easily turned aside by Itachi's shorter blade. Neither gained the advantage, and after several moments, they both backed away, pausing the fight. Naruto glanced over at Lee's fight to see the self proclaimed Azure Beast's weapon become wrapped around Kisame massive sword._

_"You caught me off guard, gaki, but without your weapon, you are nothing."_

_Lee's eyes blazed to life as he took the comment as a personal insult. "A true ninja does not need to rely on his weapon!" His face was a mask of determination even as he set himself into another stance before turning his head to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, go. The Hokage has to get this information. Without it, Konoha will be completely off guard. Don't worry about me." His eyes took an even more determined look. "I'll make Gai-sensei proud."_

_"What are you talking about Lee? I'm not leaving you behind. Stop talking nonsense."_

_Lee turned back to Kisame. "Never forget your nindo, Naruto-kun. It's been an honor."_

_"Lee don't-"_

_"_Fuuinjutsu: Hachimon Zengaku Kai."

…

Naruto's eyes snapped open meeting the startled brown eyes of the girl whose hand was shaking his shoulder. Short brown hair framed her rather regal looking face and her petite figure was leaning over him as she looked at him with concern. Naruto took all this in at a glance even as his body almost automatically began to move. A knife was already in one hand as he supported himself with the other and lashed out with his foot. The girl suddenly found herself collapsing as the kick connected with the back of her knees, but before she could even hit the ground, Naruto had caught her by the neck as he rose from the bed. Spinning her until her back was to the wall at the head of his bed, Naruto slammed her against the wall. He could see the terror in her eyes, but more than that he could see his own reflection. The edges of his sapphire eyes seemed to swirl with crimson flames, and he could see the flames continue to expand. He closed his eyes and took several deep shuddering breaths.

_Damn fox, can't even sense you any more and you're still affecting me._

After a few more moments Naruto opened his eyes to see that the girl had recovered slightly, though he could still see fear in her eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before the girl finally opened her mouth.

"Do you mind?" She gasped, "This isn't exactly comfortable."

"And can you tell me why I should care about the comfort of the person who just broke into my room and disturbed my sleep?" Naruto's emotionless voice didn't seem to intimidate her, and by now she had recovered from the scare of being thrown against the wall.

Smiling and in an all too sweet voice, she said, "Well, for one thing, I'm asking nicely before I kick you in a very unpleasant place." Naruto kept his grip for a second longer, before releasing her. The knife in his hand had disappeared by the time she hit the floor. She massaged her throat with a grimace on her face. "Damn, and I thought my brother wasn't a morning person. That must have been some nightmare, I barely touch you and you decide to strangle me." She glanced up to see that, though the blonde had taken several steps back, he was still staring at her as if expecting something from her. She arched her eyebrow at him, "I have something on my face?"

Naruto sighed slightly, "I don't suppose you feel like getting out of my room now?" The girl plopped down soundly on the head of Naruto's bed.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but apparently you'll have to put up with me for a few days. Leastways till you get your squad assignment. I was told that this would probably happen, as it usually takes a few days for the squads to make a decision."

For just a second she could have sworn that his face paled slightly, but it was gone so fast she decided she had just imagined it. Sighing slightly to herself, she stuck out her hand. "Well, now that all that unpleasantness is behind us, let's start over. Soichiro Junko." She stated this as if she expected the blonde to recognize the name.

Naruto studied at her hand for a second, as if checking to make sure it wasn't hiding a weapon, before grasping it. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Junko's eyes widened slightly, "Ah, so you're Naruto. Rukia mentioned you to me a couple times right after she was adopted by the Kuchiki family and advanced out of the academy. Now how did she describe you?" Junko took on an exaggerated thinking pose, while Naruto sighed to himself. He had only known Rukia for a short time before she left the academy, and he knew he never left a good impression. Suddenly, Junko's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "Oh, right! I believe her exact words were, 'He has the emotional depth of my Nee-sama, but none of the skills.'" Turning back towards the blonde, expecting to see some sort of reaction on his face, she was startled to realize he had turned his back towards her and was walking into the small bathroom attached to his room. He halted at the doorway.

"A word of advice," He turned towards her as he said this. "Don't try to wake me up again. I may not be able to contain my… reflexes next time." And with that he closed the door behind himself, leaving a bewildered girl in the room behind him.

…

Junko let her eyes wander around the room as she heard her new acquaintance turn on the shower in the next room. She couldn't help but notice the spartan conditions of pretty much everything around her. There were the standard pair of medium sized beds, dressers, and desks, but beyond that it hardly looked like someplace anyone actually lived. As she began to move the few changes of clothes she had from her small bag to the dresser she found empty, she took note of the few things about the room which struck her as odd or simply did not belong. One of the first things she noticed was that in each of the eight corners of the room, a small piece of paper was affixed, each with several kanji characters. They all had both the symbol for 'sound' and 'seal' but beyond that she couldn't determine if the rest was some random design or characters that she could not recognize.

After she finished organizing her things, proceeded to examine the area around Naruto's desk a little more, hoping to find something about the mysterious shinigami. She had always been a slightly nosy person. Her eyes immediately searched the area around the bed for the first thing she had noticed after entering the room, Naruto's Zanpakuto, but she found that it was missing. Assuming that somehow Naruto had taken it into the bathroom with him without her noticing, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Her eyes fell upon a large scroll laying closed upon Naruto's desk. She picked it up and examined it. It resisted her attempts to open it, one of those pieces of paper was affixed to it, this time with the kanji for 'blood' along with the one she recognized for 'seal'.

Deciding against trying to rip the fragile looking piece of paper, Junko then opened the drawers of the desk, but found nothing more than some brushes, ink and pencils, along with blank paper. Frustrated with her inability to find anything, she sat down in the chair at Naruto's desk. She had always wondered why Rukia always got so annoyed or frustrated when she spoke of the class dead-last, Uzumaki Naruto. Junko's family, the Soichiros, had been affiliated with the Kuchiki family for many centuries as a form of branch family. They were technically not part of the family, but the two families had somewhat of an understanding, in that the more influential Kuchikis would look out for the interests of the Soichiros in politics, and in return the somewhat militaristic Soichiros would often serve as guards or escorts. This relationship led to Junko's friendship with Kuchiki Rukia shortly after she had been inducted into the family. But she had never figured out how the usually calm shinigami, could get so flustered over someone who wasn't even worth her time.

But now, after meeting Uzumaki Naruto face-to-face; after staring into that whiskered face and those glacial eyes, Junko finally began to understand Rukia's feelings. Naruto seemed to have a certain aura about him, it almost seemed… inviting, like he was simply waiting for you to come to him and then he would become friendly towards you. But the instant you made the first move to approach him, he locked down, not allowing anything he might or might not be feeling show on the outside. And up close, you only came to realize that the aura which had seemed so inviting before, would like nothing more than to devour you. But even as she thought these things, Junko couldn't help but think that those cold blue eyes and stoic expression somehow just did not belong on the blonde's face, that he always seemed to be about to smile. It was like something seen out of the corner of the eye, and Junko couldn't decide whether she had actually seen it or not.

Continuing to ponder the blonde mystery, her eyes wandered around the room until she noticed something that she had missed before. From the angle of where she sat, she could see something had been placed in the small space between the head of Naruto's bed and the wall. Curiosity overcoming her, she managed to grasp it with the tips of her fingers and pulled it out. It was a large book of heavy paper, of the type that painters commonly use. Brushing the sealed scroll to the side of the desk, she laid the book down as she retook her seat. Glancing back at the door, which the sounds of the shower were still coming from, she hesitantly began to examine it. There was another piece of paper folded over the pages, with the same kanji on it, but this paper seemed to have been ripped at some point. Junko lifted the cover and couldn't suppress the gasp caused by what lay on the first page.

It was a detailed painting which covered the entire page, done with what looked to be high quality paints and very delicate brushes. The scene depicted two people side by side, lying on their backs on a stone bridge. The first seemed to be a middle aged man, with short hair and piercing dark eyes, which gazed straight up into the sky unseeing of anything. His face and shirtless body were covered with both old scars and fresh, bloody wounds. One hand was at his side grasping the hilt of a huge sword and the other stretched towards the figure lying beside him. This figure seemed to be the focus of the drawing, as Junko's eyes were drawn to it. The smaller figure was of a girl, no more than thirteen or fourteen. Small needles and shards of ice littered the ground around her and her hands were clenched together atop her stomach. This figure was clad in a robe and seemed to be unhurt except for one horrendous wound in her chest. A white and red mask was pushed to the side of her face, its blank expression a complete contradiction to the actual face of the girl. But even as the figure of the girl drew Junko's attention from the rest of the drawing, the eyes of the girl drew her attention away from the rest of her figure. She seemed to have two sets of eyes; the eyes on her face which stared straight out of the painting, and the eyes of the mask which stared towards the face of the man lying beside her. Each set of eyes radiated their own emotion. The eyes of the mask held the coldness of a killer, an absolute devotion, and a willingness to do anything for the man beside her but even these eyes hardly distracted Junko from staring at the girl's true eyes. This pair conveyed such gentleness, but at the same time such loneliness and sorrow, that Junko couldn't help but be drawn into them. One final emotion radiated, not only from her eyes, but from her entire figure; satisfaction and peace, she knew she was going to die and accepted it, content with her life, her single regret showing in a solitary tear which trailed down the side of her face, opposite the mask.. Snow seemed to swirl around the two figures. The odd thing about the drawing was that the entire thing seemed to be tinted slightly red, almost as if the setting sun was shining on the scene.

A calm, emotionless voice startled her out of her trance. "Soichiro-san, what are you doing?" Junko leaped from her chair as if burnt, turning towards the voice, preparing for the blonde's anger.

"Oh, Naruto! You're out of the shower. I was just, uh, looking around and I, ah, found this, and I mean, well, you see. Uh…" Junko's stuttering voice trailed off as she stared at Naruto. He didn't seem angry, or even upset, he just stood there staring at his desk, at the girl in the drawing. There was silence for a moment, as Naruto just stood there looking at the drawing. Junko watched his expression warily, bracing herself for the explosion that was sure to come, but was caught off guard by a simple question.

"Why are you here?" Naruto didn't even look at her as he asked the question. Confused, and slightly embarrassed Junko remained silent for a moment before she answered tentatively.

"Uh, Naruto, I already told you, I was assigned this room for this next year, so…" She trailed off as Naruto shifted his eyes to her. She was caught off guard by the emotion showing in his eyes, though she couldn't identify it.

"That is not what I meant. Why do seek to become a Shinigami?" If Junko was confused by his previous question, she was perplexed by this one. After a minute of silence she ventured an answer.

"Well, I never really thought about it. I mean, I was pretty much expected to become one because of my family. Don't really know what else I could do so..." She trailed off as another strange emotion passed over Naruto's face for an instant. He seemed to accept her answer, but she couldn't help but think that he was almost… disappointed as his eyes returned to the drawing as if this was his first time seeing it. They remained like that for a moment, Naruto staring at the drawing and Junko carefully studying his whiskered face, trying to identify the emotions she thought were flickering in his eyes. The complete silence was eventually broken by a knocking on the door.

Breaking out of his reverie, Naruto quickly walked to the door and opened it. Outside was a shinigami who carried a stack of papers. He glanced at he blonde in the doorway before asking, "You Uzumaki Naruto?" Naruto simply nodded and accepted the piece of paper that was handed to him. "Good luck to ya." And with that he was gone, off to deliver the rest of the squad assignments.

Naruto closed the door behind him as he quickly scanned the paper he had been handed. After a moment Naruto glanced up from the paper to see Junko staring at him. "It seems I am to report to the training grounds of the Second Division in an hour." His voice was still flat and emotionless, betraying nothing.

"Well, congratulations. Guard duty in the Second Division may not be the most exciting thing, but it beats the academy." Junko genuinely smiled for her, as she thought of him, new friend. His eyes studied her for a moment before he walked over to his desk.

"I don't recall saying anything about being assigned to a division, Soichiro-san." As he was saying this a knife appeared in his hand which he used to make a shallow cut on his thumb, which he then swiped over the piece of paper which had held his large scroll shut. The kanji glowed briefly before the tag simply fell off the scroll. Spreading out the scroll, Naruto studied the symbols there in silence as Junko processed what he had just said.

"What do you mean? I've never heard of a graduate not being assigned to a squad." Her voice was puzzled and she didn't even notice what Naruto was doing. They remained in silence for a moment, before Naruto spoke, though it was so quiet that Junko was not even sure if he had actually spoken.

"No, I don't imagine you have." He then spoke in a normal voice, as he continued to study his scroll, "Soichiro-san, may I ask how you are coming along with unsealing your zanpakuto?"

The sudden change in topic startled Soichiro, but she answered as she approached the blonde, trying to catch a glimpse of the contents of the scroll he was studying. "I was able to first speak to it at the beginning of the year and succeeded in unsealing it to its true form just a few weaks ago." Her voice held pride, knowing that what she had accomplished was quite a feat. She glanced at the unremarkable blade Naruto had laid on his bed. His reputation as the dead-last seemed to stem largely from his complete inability to converse with his blade, along with some of his odd practices she had heard of. Even as she wondered about these, and tried to decide if she should ask about them, the topic of her thoughts brought up the issue on his own.

"Tell me Soichiro-san, I am confident that you have heard of my… actions in certain classes. I am curious as to how the rest of the student population has reacted to them." His voice didn't betray anything, and he sounded anything but curious. He made another small cut on his thumb and began smearing a small bit of blood on various symbols which occupied the scroll spread before him. Junko now had a clear view of the writing, but the parts she recognized appeared to be simply random words. Junko took a deep breath before stating her answer.

"I don't really know that much about you. Really the only thing I've heard about you from people besides Rukia is that you have never shown signs of being able to contact your zanpakuto and that you completely refuse to participate in sparring for either the blade training or unarmed combat classes." At Naruto's indication that these were indeed the things he had wondered about, she continued, even as Naruto continued to unroll the scroll further, pausing now and again to study and wipe blood over some of the symbols. "I've heard a few people say that you're an arrogant bastard or pretty boy, who simply doesn't want to sweat, but most people seem to assume that you either have no skill in either and don't want that to be known or you're just afraid." Naruto turned from the scroll and studied her face as if trying to assess her honesty, before arching his eyebrow.

"And you?"

She sighed, "Honestly, I don't really know what to think. You don't seem like the arrogant pretty boy type and believe me, I know them when I see them. But you definitely don't strike me as being a coward. But I can't think of any reason you would choose not to participate and receive almost zeros for that class. It's a wonder you even graduated, though I've heard you do very well on all of the written exams and have some skill for kidou."

Naruto worked on in silence for another minute, before he held his right hand in a strange position and uttered a single word. "Kai." A plume of smoke filled the room obscuring eyes and irritating lungs. Coughing, Junko sputtered indignantly.

"What the hell was that? Decide to set off a smoke bomb as a going away present?" As the smoke cleared she couldn't help but gape at what she saw. Various pieces of armor and weaponry were spread out over the scroll and Naruto was quickly donning each piece of armor and securing each weapon somewhere on his person with the ease and speed of someone who had done this many times before. Fingerless gloves with metal backs went on after the flexible elbow guards; light pads were placed on the knees and shins; a long, black jacket reached down to his knees and was crisscrossed with flaming, crimson streaks. Knives of all sort seemed to simply disappear as he secured them about his person, along with several pouches. After securing everything that had appeared, Naruto walked around the room, tearing off the pieces of paper which had been in the corners and emptying out the contents of his desk. He also stepped into the bathroom quickly and returned with a small bag. He placed everything on top of the scroll, before he picked up the large book of paper which was still opened to the painting.

"Soichiro-san, I have one last question for you before I leave." He was staring at the girl in the painting again. "There will come a time when you must decide whether or not to draw your blade. I am curious, what will cause you to bare your blade? In what situation will you feel the need to call upon your weapon?"

Junko felt once again like he was looking for a certain answer. Reluctantly, she answered. "Well, I guess I would use my weapon when it was inevitable that I have to fight, whether by a specific situation or through orders. It's there for that purpose." Silence filled the room once again. Naruto simply stared at the painting for a moment before he sighed. He then closed the cover over the book and placed it on top of the pile of items which was lying on the scroll.

"The girl in that painting taught me something a long time ago, while I was alive." At this Junko started; retaining one's memories after death was exceedingly rare to the point of being almost unheard of. Naruto didn't notice her reaction. "It is strange isn't it. There are so many things I can remember from my life, every detail is crystal clear about some unimportant things, and yet some of the most important things are fragmented, torn apart. That girl made one of the biggest impressions on my life, I know this , but for the life of me I can't remember what it was." The sadness and loneliness in Naruto's voice seemed almost distant, buried under so many layers of the cold uncaring mask, but Junko still felt the need to comfort the blonde. Slowly, she put her hand on his shoulder in a simple comforting gesture. She could feel the muscles under her hand ripple and tense in preparation for sudden movement but she kept her hand there. Naruto simply stared at the wall, ignoring her and what his reflexes were telling him to do. Junko wasn't even sure if he remembered she was there. "I can't even remember her name. The only thing I can remember about her is that painting, that one glimpse of her life. It took me a year to paint and its all I have of her." His voice faded off at the end, as if he was lost in the seeking of memories. His hand came up slowly and once again took a strange position. "Fuuin." A smaller plume of smoke this time, and when it cleared the objects were gone and Junko could swear several new symbols had appeared.

Naruto quickly closed the scroll and reapplied the piece of paper which had previously held it shut. He then turned and picked up his zanpakuto, strapping it to his side. Almost as if an after thought, he drew a piece of cloth from the pocket of his robe and tied it around his head. On his forehead was a small metal plate with a swirl surrounded by the outline of a leaf carved into it. "What you see before you is who I am. I long ago decided that my sword had only one purpose, and for any other it shall remained sheathed. They had to force me to draw it at yesterday's ceremony." His glacial blue eyes bore into Junko's chocolate brown. "I do not know why I have spoken to you as I have, it has been a long time since I have trusted anyone enough to speak to them. But I seem to have become a little more trusting without realizing. And as someone who has a small amount of my trust for whatever reason, I tell you this. My blade serves one purpose. When I draw it my opponent dies." He said it with such finality that Junko didn't doubt him. They stood there for a moment in silence before he turned and opened the door. "Farewell, Soichiro-san. Until we meet again." And with that he was gone.

…

A little less than an hour later, several dozen people were lined up on the training grounds outside the barracks of the Second Division. An intimidating woman paced in front of them, studying each person with intense eyes before she began to speak in a loud voice. "You may address me as Soi Fon-Taichou. I will not tolerate disrespect and I will not tolerate laziness. From this moment on, I am kami." She stopped pacing and turned to face them directly. Her face held a malicious smirk, "Welcome to Remedial Shinigami training."

**Fuuinjutsu: Hachimon Zengaku Kai(Sealing Jutsu: Eight Celestial Gates Total Release):** Instantly opens all eight of the celestial gates.


	3. And His Eyes Were As Steel

Chapter Three

Greeting everyone. Its been awhile. Sorry for the delay, but between computer crashes, finals, and writer's block this chapter was a pain to write. I was never really satisfied with the personality I gave Soifon, or this chapter in general, but I finally just decided to just finish it up and move the story on. Its not as long as I had hoped, but I decided to just end it where it was and get it out sooner. Rest assured I have a good idea of where this story is heading from here, so the next chapters shouldn't take nearly as long and should be substantially longer. Hope you enjoy.

Bleach and Naruto do not belong to me.

Chapter Two

And His Eyes Were As Steel

Soifon paced in front of the lined up trainees, cursing whatever Kami hated her at the moment. _What the hell is the use of this program anyways, only a handful have ever made it out of here and amounted to anything more than full time guards._ Nevertheless she had her orders, and she would fulfill them however she could. "Listen up! There is one rule and one rule only while you are here. Follow my instructions." The edge in her voice made it immediately apparent how much she wanted to be here, and the cadets couldn't help but shift nervously on their feet. "You all are here for one of two reasons, you either washed out of the academy, or no squad was willing to take you. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you all." Here she stopped pacing and glared directly at them, doing her best to glare at all of them at the same time. "You all are a waste of my time. But still I have my orders. In case you do not understand the situation you all are in, let me explain. You are all, in a word, on probation as full-time shinigami. You were sent to me because I am in charge of the second division, whose responsibility it is to keep the peace inside the Sereitei and the Rukongai. For the next three months, you will be given small responsibilities as a part of this group, in order to test your true capabilities. In addition to this, you will be going through intensive training to make sure you reach your maximum potential. At the end of the three months you will be reevaluated and hopefully at least a few of you will be ready to serve as true shinigami, though I'm not holding my breath. Today will be one of the few days that you will see me as I have other responsibilities. Know that you can quit at anytime, but don't expect to get another shot." Her dark grey eyes hardened, "Welcome to hell."

A_t least they're giving me free reign with how I do it this year. Nothing like a few green rookies to torment._ Even as these thoughts passed through her head, she noticed someone slowly walking across the field towards them. His long black jacket reached down past his knees, and its sleeves hung loose as if his arms weren't inside them. His bright blonde hair stood out across the field, and Soifon's sharp eyes took in his features. Her experienced eye couldn't help but be impressed with the way he moved. _Perfectly coordinated, not an ounce of movement or energy wasted. Muscles tense enough to react to anything, but still relaxed enough to not let it show to most. Impressive. Though I must say his choice of attire is a little strange._ As she finished this thought, the man took a place in the last rank of those lined up before her. She narrowed her eyes. _Huh, didn't really think he was here to be part of the class. Still, he needs to be taught a lesson. _Her eyes once again hardened, a slightly malicious smirk on her face. "Oh I forgot to mention something…never show up late." And with that she seemed to simply flash out of existence to those who were lined up before her. Except for one.

Naruto sighed to himself. A single word flashed through his mind. _Inevitable. _The trainees around him were looking about in confusion, and a few who had noticed when Naruto appeared, stared at him smirking, already realizing what was about to happen. Naruto sighed again and one of his arms, previously unseen inside the jacket, flashed out. The clanging of metal attracted the attention of everyone gathered and they turned, their eyes widening, as they saw Soifon standing right behind Naruto, a blade across his throat. Soifon had a hard time keeping the shocked expression off her face.

_Not only was he able to follow me, but he anticipated my attack quick enough to completely counter it. Even though I wasn't going anywhere close to my top speed, he didn't look like he was even trying. _Upon closer inspection, it could be seen that Naruto held a triangular knife by the blade in his left hand. Opposite the blade, on the other side of the handle of the knife was a ring. And through that ring was the end of the wakizashi of the shinigami captain. Though Soifon's blade was still against Naruto's throat, he had the leverage needed to remove it if he chose. What truly shocked Soifon was something that those gathered couldn't see. Underneath the black jacket, Naruto's right hand held a similar knife in a reverse grip. Soifon could feel the tip of it slightly dig into the skin of her stomach, through the cloth of the cloak and her own tight shirt.

Silence reigned over the training field as neither of them moved a muscle. Finally a cold voice broke the silence. "Uzumaki Naruto, reporting as ordered, Soifon-Taichou." His emotionless voice caused a shiver to run the length of more than a few spines. Soifon wasn't fazed in the slightest, if anything the voice intrigued her more. Her face hardened, and her voice rang with the sound of authority that came with being a captain.

"Tell me, Uzumaki, how arrogant does one have to be to expect to be given the right to show up later than everyone else." Her warm breath tickled the back of the blonde's ear, but he didn't have any visual reaction.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Soifon-Taichou." His cold voice once again carried over the training ground. His face remained impassive, and his entire body seemed to carry an air of indifference. Soifon raised her eyebrow at the blonde's short response, but didn't comment. With another flash, she was gone from behind Naruto and back in front of the assembled trainees, her wakizashi again sheathed across the small of her back.

"Well as exciting as that interruption was, its time for the real fun to begin." Her voice contained a bit of sadistic glee, causing a few more shivers throughout the assembly. And with that they immediately started a grueling physical workout of sprints, push-ups, sit-ups, and long distance runs. Just by glancing at them, after several hours of this constant training, Soifon could immediately separate them into several groups. _Hmmm… once again it's immediately apparent that the academy doesn't care about real physical conditioning. It's doubtful any of them could last two minutes fighting a hollow._ But even as she thought this, a few stood out to her. _A handful seem to be in decent shape, they can at least complete the exercises. Let's see here, there's seven that appear ready for the next stage. A lot more than I had expected._ Her eyes then flickered to the whiskered trainee who had already earned both her ire and a small bit of interest. _Uzumaki Naruto… Intriguing. _

"Everyone, line-up!" The voice of her lieutenant rang over the training grounds and snapped her out of her musings. As soon as they were organized, her lieutenant turned to her.

"You will assemble here at 0500, every morning, for the next three months for physical conditioning. It is obvious that only a few of you have ever bothered with keeping yourself in shape, but you will make this a priority now. You miss it, and don't bother coming back here, just pack your bags and get out. I don't care where; just know that you will not be welcome here. Now, everyone except Shiyo Eriko, Shiyo Reiley, Uruni Kang, Kaley Ikare, Uzumaki Naruto, Ishikawa Sei-ho and Imlu Beron is dismissed. If I just said your name, remain behind so I may have a word." In the few minutes it took for the majority of the trainees to walk off the field, Soifon quickly studied the information she had on each of the aforementioned shinigami provided her by the academy. _Well, let's see here. Both Shiyos seem to be slightly above average in the physical aspects, but absolutely hopeless at kidou. The Uruni though in good shape, is the opposite: horribly clumsy during a physical fight but decent at kidou. Both Kaley and Imlu need help with everything except the physical conditioning. Ishikawa is capable and would've been selected for a squad, but there were worries about his reactions to real fighting. And all of them have right around average reiatsu levels. And Uzumaki… what the hell?_ Soifon glanced up at the remaining recruits, particulary one bearing whisker markings on his face. The blonde's glacial blue eyes stared unflinchily back into her own, causing a frown to mar Soifon's face. She glanced down at the file again. _No information is available on his physical capabilities with a sword or in hand to hand. Though they do know he is passable at kidou. His reiatsu level is barely high enough to qualify him for the academy, the only thing that seemed to save him was his exceptional control over it. Strange…_

"Ok, first things first. I have observed you seven and it has come to my attention that you actually might have at least some potential." She let her voice remain scathing. "Since you could withstand the physical conditioning right away, I am going to immediately move onto the next stage with this group." She saw that the previously nervous group now seemed a bit more interested, though the blonde had yet to show any sort of reaction. "I have a slight amount of information on each of your abilities, but reading a report really doesn't do anything for me. So first I need to further evaluate your skills. We'll start with a spar. Everyone, pair up." The captain couldn't help but notice the glances they all sent at Naruto before they immediately grabbed someone else as a partner. _What am I missing here? Its obvious there is something I don't know about blondie over there. Oh, well. Blow that bridge up when we come to it._ "Ok, you two first, let's see what you got. Don't hold anything back."

The first two to fight were the Shiyo sisters, Eriko and Reiley. Immediately drawing their blades, they charged each other. Soifon couldn't help but rethink her previous statement about them possibly having some potential. These two, though they were confident, moved through the forms of their strikes sloppily, and the only reason the fight was not immediately over was because they were roughly the same in skill. Sure, they could hold out fine against the average academy student, but anybody with a little experience could have torn both of them apart. Finally, Soifon stopped them. Her glare fell on both of them. "Neither of you would last a minute against a hollow of any rank. You can't just move through the forms sloppily and expect an enemy not to take advantage of the holes you leave in your guard. Work on perfecting the forms." And this is how it went for the next hour.

The next fight was even worse, if that was possible. Ijare Kaley demolished Uruni Kang, but this was only because he used brute strength to force himself through the clumsy guard of his opponent. Ishikawa Sei-ho performed well, but seemed reluctant to become aggressive, letting his opponent, Imlu Beron, control the fight. The fight lasted awhile before Soi-Fon called it, berating Ishikawa for hesitating to strike. "Ok, last one, since there's an odd number, the lucky one left gets to fight me." A sadistic smirk appeared on her face as she stared at the stoic blonde. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you, I just want to see what you need to work on." She put her hand to the hilt of her weapon and waited for her opponent to do the same. When he made no motion to do so, she cocked her head to the side and grinned. "You gonna fight? Don't worry, I won't hurt you…much."

"Ano, uh, Soifon-Taichou…" Soifon glanced over at Shiyo Eriko and raised her eyebrows. The girl shrunk under her gaze and murmured something. Slightly puzzled, she turned her gaze back on the blonde, who still had not made a move towards his sword.

"I believe they wish to inform you of my habits regarding sparring, Soifon-Taichou." The cold words puzzled the captain and she again glanced over at the girl. "They wish to tell you that in all my time at the academy, I did not once participate in a spar of any kind." Soifon's head snapped back to him and her eyebrow climbed towards her hairline.

_Ok…that was certainly unexpected._

Naruto seemed not to notice her reaction as he continued, "I am curious, Soifon Taichou. What would be required of me to forego this 'extra training'?" All of those assembled couldn't help but be curious at this line of questioning. Soifon merely scoffed.

"You telling me, gaki, that you've never fought with a blade and you wish to skip my training? You still want to become a shinigami, don't you?" Naruto's cold blue eyes never flickered as he matched Soifon's stare.

"Would you please answer the question, Soifon-taichou?"

She thought for a second before answering. "I would need what the people at the academy needed before sending you out into battle." She drew her blade and held it in a reverse guard position. "I need to know that you won't die or get others killed when the shit hits the fan. I need to know you can fight." The blonde seemed to ponder this for a second before nodding to himself. The six trainees watching widened their eyes as he lowered himself into a defensive stance.

"That is... acceptable. Then let us fight." His tone was final as he settled into his position. Having already discarded his jacket before the physical training, he was left unhindered by his dark long-sleeved shirt and pants. His fingerless gloves were crimson with metallic guards on the back, and without the jacket, Soifon's eye could tell that he had several weapons and pads scattered about his person. Naruto reached down towards his sword, causing Soifon to tense in anticipation. He glanced at her, before unstrapping the scabbard and throwing both it and the blade it contained aside. Soifon's eyes once again widened before she sneered.

"Pick up your blade, gaki, I told you I need to see you fight to even think about letting you out of this." Naruto simply shifted his guard position, all the time staring straight back into the shinigami captain's eyes.

"A blade is not necessary to fight, Soifon-Taichou. I will give you one warning before we begin." His twin glaciers seemed to flicker slightly, and Soifon could swear she saw them turn crimson briefly. For just a brief second she felt uncertainty and a small amount of fear settle in her stomach before she banished them. The blonde shifted stances again as he continued. "Don't underestimate me." His words seemed to hang over the training grounds as Soifon studied him. She couldn't help but be puzzled by his stance. It was completely unorthodox and she knew that she had never seen anything like it. The right side of his body was turned towards her, with his foot pointing directly at her. His left leg was behind and was planted so that the inside of his foot was towards both his other foot and his opponent. Both knees were bent, putting him in a low crouch, with most of his weight being supported by his back leg. The position of his arms was what truly puzzled her. His left arm was held across his body and the hand grasped the top of the elbow joint of his other arm. This arm was held so that it traveled back across and up his body, with the tips of his fingers resting on the top of his left shoulder. She took all this in at a glance, as she sheathed her weapon.

"Very well, gaki, you want to fight hand-to-hand, we can do that. I'll give you one last chance to reconsider." Naruto didn't even acknowledge her, remaining in his position.

"I will repeat what I have already said, Soifon-Taichou. Don't underestimate me." And with that he struck. Soifon barely realized he had moved before she had to raise her arm to block a strike heading towards the side of her head. Those watching could only gape as it seemed to them that the supposed dead last had simply disappeared from his spot and reappeared right in front of Soifon, his arm already moving towards her head. Even as Soifon moved her left arm to block the incoming fist, her right was coming up in a strike to the blonde's kidneys. _He may be fast, but his stance leaves his body completely open as he strikes. Foolish. _Her thoughts were cut off as Naruto's strike impacted into her raised guard. Soifon only registered a brief flash of pain in her arm before she realized she had been hurled aside by the force of the blow. Quickly righting herself in the air and landing, she stared with wide eyes at the blonde who stood in her previous position, already back in his original guard position.

"I warn you again Soifon-Taichou, that was the last time I will leave myself open. Had you not underestimated me, the fight would already be over. I am… disappointed." Soifon stayed silent as she retook a guard position, though her opponent's emotionless voice and face were beginning to annoy her.

_Shit, he hits hard. Probably as hard as I can, and I don't think he's even going all out yet. I'll have to rely on speed. Can't let him hit me like that too many more times._ She flashed forward, sending a lightning fast strike towards the whiskered face. Even as her hand traveled towards him, she couldn't help but think the expression on his face seemed almost… satisfied. Her eyes once again widened as his entire right arm pivoted, using the left hand, which still held his elbow, as a turning point. He caught her wrist and continued to pivot his arm, turning it to an uncomfortable angle.

"I'm glad to see you have started taking me seriously, Soifon-Taichou. But next time, do not hesitate in your strike. I assure you, I've felt worse." Even as he said this, he was forced to release her wrist and leap over a spinning kick. Soifon did not let up this time, and immediately launched into a series of quick hits with both feet and hands, testing his guard. The onlookers could only see two blurs and occasionally a glimpse of the two deadlocked, as crashes sounded over the training area.

Soifon was now more than impressed. Not only was this Uzumaki Naruto probably as physically strong as her, he was able to keep up with her speed, though she still wasn't going full out. Every strike was deflected or avoided and countered. His smooth, almost effortless blocks and counterstrikes spoke of a great deal of experience. Soifon increased her speed slightly and, though her strikes were still all blocked, she could tell she was now pushing into her opponents defenses. He still kept up the emotionless mask over his face, which was now starting to anger her. He suddenly leapt at the woman, bringing his leg around in a spinning kick. The shinigami captain was able to duck under it, but he sent a snap kick at her face as soon as he landed, taking her by surprise. She back flipped once as she was launched backwards and landed with her arms raised in a guard position, ready for the next strikes. It took her a moment to realize that he was simply standing at the spot where he had kicked her, his arms simply held at his sides. Soifon spat on the ground in front of her, blood coloring her saliva crimson. "What are you waiting for, gaki, an engraved invitation?"

Naruto did not act as though he had heard her and instead began talking. "I'm genuinely impressed, Soifon-Taichou, I did not think there was anybody in Soul Society who had not handicapped themselves by relying on their zanpakuto. Your skill in hand-to-hand surpasses anything I have seen here. Not only that, but you quickly realized that you could only beat me with your speed, and concentrated on avoiding my strikes: a wise decision. However," Naruto paused here and lowered himself into a different guard position. His left side towards his opponent, open hand turned towards her, while his trailing arm was held level with his head behind him. "Your strategy relies completely upon the fact that you think I cannot match your speed." Again he launched himself at his opponent faster than any of the open mouthed spectators could see.

Soifon blocked the first series of strikes launched at her, but was quickly driven back. _His style is completely different now. He's no longer using his strength as much, but instead is simply pushing my guard with fast strikes, forcing me on the defensive. _A thought occurred to her and her dark eyes widened slightly. _He's testing me! Pushing me to see what my limit is. He's not even taking me seriously._ Her eyes hardened, as she pushed him back slightly.

The blonde retreated several steps before he again adjusted. His body seemed to flow from one strike to the next, pushing Soifon's guard to the limits. He finally found an opening and one of his hands darted out, striking her thigh in a vulnerable cluster of nerves, causing the muscle to clench painfully. At the same time Soifon lashed out, managing to land a solid hit on the shoulder. They both leaped back, staring at each other, emotionless blue meeting angered brown.

"I believe any further sparring would only accomplish serious injuries to both of us. You have evaluated my skills. What is your verdict, Soifon-Taichou?" His blue eyes continued to bore into Soifon's eyes as he asked his question.

Soifon stood there silent for a moment, eyes studying the person who had just come out even against a Shinigami captain. "You certainly have some skill, Uzumaki, but can you kill? Beating up a hollow with your fists won't get the job done very often." Her expression hardened. "Tell me this, Uzumaki, how do I know that when the time comes you will be able to draw your sword and kill what needs to be killed?"

She hadn't thought his eyes could get any colder, but they somehow managed it, his voice ringing with the same hint of steel. "Killing is the only thing I know how to do, Soifon-Taichou." And with that he turned his back towards her. Pausing only to pick up his cloak and blade, he walked slowly away from the group of stunned onlookers. His emotionless voice carried back to them on a slight breeze. "I will return in three months for the reevaluation." And with a flicker of movement, he was gone.

Soifon stared after him for a moment before scowling and turning back to the group that was still assembled, only to find them all standing slack jawed. "What the hell are you staring at? Get out of here." Her scowl remained on her face as she stared after the hastily retreating trainees. This soon faded back to an impassive face as she glanced again at where the blonde enigma had disappeared from. _Most intruiging…_

Taking a step towards the main building of the second division's complex, she sucked in a breath as the muscle in her leg tensed painfully. Cursing under her breath, she limped back to her office where she quickly penned several missives, sending them off at once. All of them had something to do with a certain whiskered shinigami.


	4. The Desire to Kill

Hello, to you all once again. Once again I find myself apologizing about the delay and rationalizing that I'll do better next time, but we've all seen how well that has worked. Hopefully I will be having a decent amount of time to write in the coming weeks and I pretty much have most of the next chapter already written in my head, so it shouldn't take me that long to write. I was originally going to have the next chapter and this chapter be combined but I figured you guys had waited long enough and would rather I post something now and something later. However long the next chapter takes, I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated.

Note: I do not own Naruto or Bleach.

Death's Vow

Chapter Three

The Desire to Kill

"You're telling me that he had no friends in the Academy? That no one really knew who he was?" Soifon disbelieving eyes drilled into the Shinigami Academy teacher who sat across from her in the Captain's office of the Second Division. Yorell Muyle had dark brown hair with several streaks of gray and wore a patch that identified him as a professor for the Academy where most shinigami have their division number. He wore his Zanpakuto with the ease that comes from centuries of experience.

"He was basically a social outcast," the teacher confirmed, "But he really seemed to prefer it that way. He never even made any attempts to befriend his classmates as far as I know, and there were only a few who were not intimidated by his rather... cold manner."

Soifon made a sound of frustration in the back of her throat. Her investigations into the background of Uzumaki Naruto had basically been at a standstill from the beginning. No one seemed to know him as a friend and no could tell her anything beyond the very brief summary the Academy provided each captain with upon graduation. She studied the words on the page skipping over the top which simply stated 'Uzumaki Naruto, Ranked last in his class'. It went on to basically say that they knew nothing about what his true skills were.

"If I may ask, Soifon-Taichou, why are you so interested in the dead last of the academy? Surely there are others in your class who would benefit more from your attention." Soifon glanced up from the page and studied the man in front of her. A Shinigami who retired from active duty was not common, and teaching at the Academy was often where these souls ended up. They were no weaker than they had been before, and the position of teacher within the academy carried a moderate amount of respect, since it was usually only the most experienced who received the job. Breaking off her gaze at the man, she grabbed a paper from her desk and handed it to him.

"I believe you may find this report interesting, Yorell-san." Her gray eyes remained upon the Shinigami professor as he glanced over the piece of paper. After a few minutes of studying he raised his eyes to meet Soifon's, a question in their gaze. "Look at who filed the report." She explained simply. His eyes returned to the paper before widening almost comically.

"Has this been confirmed?" She nodded almost imperceptably. He scanned over the report again, trying to make sense of it. "But this should be impossible for _anyone _freshly out of the Academy, no matter what state the other Shinigami were in."

"Apparently the normal boundaries do not apply to Uzumaki Naruto. I only just received confirmation a few hours ago which stated that he did indeed subdue several drunken members of the eleventh squad who were causing a disturbance on his patrol route. It has also been confirmed that one of them was the seated officer, Abarai Renji. All of this was done without weapons on either side, and witnesses reported that the members of the eleventh squad were hard pressed to even land a hit on Uzumaki." She paused here to let the info sink in before continuing. "There is also the fact that he was able to fight me to a standstill in an unarmed spar."

Soifon was again treated to the sight of the Shinigami professor's eyes widening. "Impossible."

Soifon continued as if he had not said anything. "Albeit I was holding alot back, but it seemed he was as well. This is why he has not only my interest, but my concern. We know nothing about his personality or motivations and can only guess at his true skill level." Her mind thought back to what the blonde had said, her eyes taking a far away look.

_'Killing is all I know how to do.' _The memory of his cold steel eyes shook her more than she would admit. Shaking off the memory, she brought herself back into the present where an aged Shinigami was eyeing her curiously. She cleared her throat self-consiously under the professor's gaze and continued. "I will not feel comfortable assigning him to any squad until I know he is trustworthy."

Muyle clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them, never taking his eyes off of Soifon. "Have you tried talking to him?" The question caused Soifon to smirk, but before she could reply there was a knock on the door and a emotionless voice called out.

"Uzumaki Naruto, reporting as ordered."

"Enter." Soifon called out. Muyle kept his face blank, but he shot a mild glare at Soifon as the door slid open, revealing the blonde hair, whiskered face, and glacial blue eyes of one Uzumaki Naruto. He slowly walked into the room, his eyes carefully evaluating every shadow of the room with the experience of someone who has been on both sides of an ambush countless times. He wore the same outfit he had when he had first shown up at the training grounds. Simple black pants with many pockets, a nondescript black shirt, and the jacket which was crisscrossed by streaks of flames. Several pouches were strapped to his side and the strip of cloth with a metal plate which bore a spiral in the shape of a leaf was tied around his head.

He stopped half a dozen paces behind the seated Shinigami professor who still had his back turned to him and the door, before going into a rest position, hands clasped behind his back, feet a little wider than shoulder length, and eyes straight ahead, drilling a whole in the wall above and behind Soifon. He stood like that for a moment before either of the rooms other occupants realized that he was not about to break the silence. Muyle, turned to him and stood, "Ah, Uzumaki Naruto. I hear you have been causing just as many waves outside of the academy as you did in it." Naruto's eyes glanced at his face before returning to the far wall, never breaking his silence. "I have heard that you have displayed remarkable skill in areas that you never participated in during your years in the academy, skill that some would say belong to a prodigy. I am curious, are you able to contact your zanpakuto as well?"

Their was silence for a moment before Naruto answered, never moving anything besides his mouth. "A prodigy, huh?" His voice sounded almost amused. "I never was, nor will I ever be a prodigy. I simply know how to use what I have. As for my zanpakuto... I am unaware whether or not I am able to contact it, seeing as how I have never tried."

Soifon glanced sharply at the professor, but his look of surprise confirmed that he had not known this either. Resigning herself to not having many questions answered in straightforward ways she returned her gaze to Naruto.

They stood there for another moment, both Soifon and Yorrell Muyle studying the young shinigami before them, while he seemed to ignore them both. Finally, Soifon stood as well. "Uzumaki Naruto. You have been called here to answer a very simple question." Her eyes stared into icy depths, as if some clue to his answer could be found there. "Who is Uzumaki Naruto?"

For just a second, a hint of confusion broke through his carefully controlled mask, before he regained control of himself. "Sir?" And just like that his face, eyes, and voice were back to the carefully maintained emotionless facade. Soifon strode around her desk until she was standing right in front of the blonde, and next to Muyle.

"I want to know who you are. What motivates you? What is your dream? What do you fear? What can you do? And why the hell you didn't do any of it in the academy?" There was dead silence in the room. Naruto's iced blue eyes stared straight into and through the grey orbs of Soifon, as if he was looking into the distance, into the past. Buried deep within those eyes Soifon thought she could see a glimpse of the man that stood before her. A glimpse that both terrified and enthralled her.

"You wish to know who I am? No, you only think that is what you seek. You wish to know what I am." This cryptic statement was followed by silence. As he continued to stare into the distance. Soifon, caught in his gaze, didn't dare break the silence. But Yorrell was not so willing to remain silent.

"Well, then, what are you, boy? Out with it." Naruto turned his head and pinned the man with a steady gaze. A sharp intake of breath told him that he had silenced the man and he returned to staring through Soifon's eyes, to whatever sight lay so far away.

"I have been called many things. So many that it is impossible to describe myself in its entirety. But the essence of who and what I am is the same.." Another moment of silence before his voice again sounded, this time no more than a whisper. "I am shinobi. I am... jinchuuriki." The finality of the tone and the distant expression in his eyes stifled any response there may have been. Quiet descended upon the room again, this time neither of the seasoned shinigami dared to break it. With a small bow to both of them and a quiet, "If that is all? Soifon-taichou; Yorell-sensei." Uzumaki Naruto left the room, leaving behind more questions than he had brought.

Yorell summed up both of their feeling, "Damn, so much for finding answers."

...

It had been a month since her conversation with the mysterious Uzumaki Naruto and he still haunted her thoughts. She never let on to any of her classmates or professors what was going on in her head. Maintaing her high quality of work and hanging out with her friends took up most of her time, though a few people closer to her did notice that she seemed distracted at times. She made several subtle inquiries about the blonde enigma but the only things she discovered was that he had been sent to some sort of remedial training for shinigami, which answered a few questions, but none of the ones that were truly bothering her. Deciding to put the mystery to the back of her mind for now, she concentrated on the captain in front of her.

Soifon-taichou, captain of the second division, leader of Seireitei black ops forces studied them with hard eyes. This was to be their first trip to the real world of the year, and Junko coudn't help but feel nervous. It would be their classes first time being put into a real combat situation where they were expected to do most of the fighting. Several members of the second squad were accompanying each group to keep them safe, but their performance evaluation depended on them slaying any hollows they came across without assistance. She nervously clutched the hilt of her zanpakuto, the feel of the navy blue cloth which adorned the guard of her blade was a comfort for her. Unbidden, an image, and a cold, emotionless voice came to her mind.

_"My blade serves one purpose. When I draw it, my opponent dies." _

She shook her head, ridding herself of the image, only to realize the whatver Soifon-taichou had been saying, she was finished. The Shinigami captain, was now staring behind her at the group shinigami that were to be their escorts. Junko scanned them briefly and almost gasped in surprise when her eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair. Surprised by his presence she examined him. He looked exactly like she remembered him when he walked out of her room a month ago. His blade was strapped comfortably to his side, and she noticed that his hand, while relaxed, was resting on the hilt of his blade, ready to draw it for any provocation. As if sensing her gaze, Naruto's eyes turned to meet hers, and even across the courtyard of the shinigami academy, she could still easily make out the deep blue of the freezing ocean that laid behind his eyes. Their gaze held for a second before she gave him a bright smile, which he responded to with a slight nod of his head. He immediately returned his gaze to the silent shinigami captain, an action which Junko soon copied. She remained unaware that her brief interaction with Naruto had been noticed by an interested captain .

Trying once again to forget about the blonde for the moment, she prepared herself for her task ahead. She knew she would be expected to kill and was prepared for it. Somehow she knew that today she would finally be able to answer that question that had haunted her for a month. _"Why are you here?"_

...

"Uzumaki! Front and center!" Soifon stared at the mysterious shinigami as he walked to her. No, walk is the wrong word. He _prowled_, his body tensed and ready, a predator in every sense of the word. Here, in the real world, hostiles could be anywhere. It had taken Soifon decades to develop the kind of attitude that she already observed in the Uzumaki Naruto. He came to a stop before her, going into a stance that indicated his attention, but did not make him vulnerable in any way. Soifon turned to the gathered Shinigami, both second squad members and academy students.

"Before we begin our live combat testing we have something to take care of. Most of you academy students have hardly had to lift your blade, much less defend your life. But realize that is what is on the line." Soifon began pacing in front of the assembled Shinigami, her eyes taking a moment to study each student. "Every time you draw your blade your own life and the lives of your brothers in arms are relying on your ability to fight, your ability to kill. If you are not willing to accept this, then you have no place among our ranks." She paused for a moment to allow these thoughts to sink in. "Today, and every day at the academy is a chance to prove yourself capable of handling this responsibility. Keep that in mind from this day forward."

Soifon stopped her pacing and turned to Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto, recent graduate of the academy. I'm sure some of you may recognize him. He is here today because he never proved himself while he was in the academy. Today is his chance to finally do that. If he proves himself capable, as with any other Shinigami, he will be assigned to a squad. Before you split off into your groups in order to be evaluated, Uzumaki Naruto will demonstrate to us his capabilities. Keep him in mind as you go through your own tests. More than just to be evaluated, he is her to show you how to kill." She turned to Naruto and in a lower voice so that only he could hear her continued, "I do not like you, Uzumaki. But more importantly I can't trust you. In my opinion, you shouldn't get this chance. But lucky for you, you do get this, your last chance" Her eyes fought with his in a manner reminiscent of their own physical fight weeks before. "Prove your words and prove yourself and show that this chance has not been wasted." And with those final words, Soifon produced a small, silver wafer before closing her fist on it, spreading its spiritual essence into the air. With a small, smirk and a whispered, "Let's see what you can do." Soifon took her place next to the assembled Shinigami, leaving Naruto on his own.

...

A terrifying howl sounded from an uncomfortably close distance. The observing academy students whispered among themselves. Some telling stories of the legendary dead last, some wondering if the Shinigami Taichou had lost her mind, putting him up against something like that. However, all of them couldn't help but notice the utterly indifferent attitude of the Shinigami all their attention was devoted to. His hand still rested upon the hilt of his blade, and some began to voice the question of what the sword of the dead last would look like. He hadn't even shifted his stance, letting himself remain still as a statue as the academy students speculated. His cold eyes scanned everything in front of him, searching for a target. Not a hint of fear in him could be sensed, for he was not the prey. He was the predator.

Without warning a huge shape materialized in front of him, no more than a hundred feet away. It too remained still, eyes observing the audacious warrior that stood before it. The hollow stood more than six times the height of his opponent. His long arms stretched down to his knees, and his glowing eyes had the sense of a primal intelligence. His teeth were pointed and razor sharp, and a drop of saliva hit the ground with a sizzle. Still, Naruto had not moved.

With a piercing howl, the lumbering hollow charged, pushing off with his long arms to gain an extra burst of speed. It quickly halved the distance between them, claws and teeth ready and waiting to kill.

Naruto still had not moved.

...

Junko didn't think she had ever been more terrified in her life. This huge beast was bearing down on her friend and she was too terrified to even move. Her knuckles were white on the hilt of her zanpakuto. As she stared at the terrifying sight before her. From her position she was able to see the profile of Naruto's face as well as the oncoming monster. Just as she was about to scream something even more frightening happened. Naruto closed his eyes, as if welcoming death... and then he laughed. Not a creepy laugh, not a sarcastic laugh, nothing like that. It was full blown humorous laugh, as if the man had never experienced something more hilarious. His eyes were closed and his head was thrown back. It was such a confusing sight that even the hollow slowed his approach, puzzled by the response of its intended prey.

Naruto's voice broke through his laughter, though it was still colored by humor, "_This _is the fierce hollow, the nemesis of the Shinigami. This _animal_ is what you fight against." And suddenly the humor and laughter was gone, replaced by the ice cold attitude that they were all familiar with. "Pathetic." The cold tone was spoken with so much certainty that for an instant Junko felt ashamed that she had been afraid of this hollow. "This hollow is nothing more than a common beast. And it does not deserve the honor of dying by a blade." His tone began to take on tones of anger, even rage. "You all wish to know how to kill. The easiest way is to conquer your fear and then... give it to your enemies!" As he said this a weight descended upon the crowd. It was not the weight of spiritual pressure, but something far more focused, more primal. Junko's attention was drawn back to Naruto and she gasped when she saw his eyes, crimson as blood, with a black slit for the pupil. Junko could see the pure, undiluted rage held there. "You all feel it don't you. Even though it isn't focused on you, observe what pure fear, pure terror can do to your enemy." His words were laced with venom. "You cannot simply be willing to kill. Your entire purpose at that moment, you entire being is focused on the sole objective of ending your enemy's existence. That is what you feel now, not simply the will to kill, but the _desire _to kill."

The hollow was cowering before him, having been slammed to the ground by the pure force of the Shinigami's rage. Naruto approached calmly, the hollow managed to raise his head and froze when it met the crimson fury of the angry Shinigami's eyes. He never hurried, never ran, just walked with a slow sureness of purpose. The hollow whimpered. The blonde pause half a dozen paces from the prostrate hollow. "Pathetic." He repeated before he simply vanished. A wet crunching sound reached the ears of the onlookers as a hole appeared in the mask of the hollow an instant before it shattered. Naruto's form reappeared in front of the crowd, fresh blood coating his hand and forearm. His gaze swept over the crowd. "Any questions?"

The hollow screamed in pain, the harsh sound causing many of the students to wince. Gradually the oppressive feeling they were experiencing faded, even as the rageful crimson eyes were replaced by freezing sapphire. "Good luck to you all." His cold voice broke the silence that had settled as the hollow faded. But the silence that lingered as he walked away lasted much longer.


	5. Lament Your Fate

Hello once again. I must say that I have been slightly overwhelmed with the response this story has gotten. I started out as just for fun, but all the positive reviews have made me want to keep writing it. So I thank all of you who have taken the time to review, especially those who have some feedback or criticisms. The only real complaint I have had is that Naruto is too OC, but I begin to address that this chapter. On a side note, I would like to point out to the single flame I have gotten that even though you may have had a good point, if you write a review like a retarded ten year old I will completely disregard whatever you have to say. Furthermore, if you use the word "smexy" I _will_ proceed to mock you, much as I am doing now. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter. As always, I appreciate reviews. Oh, and if anyone wants to correct or nitpick my Japanese, feel free. I really have no idea if what I came up with in those places is anywhere close to what I was going for. And I _still_ don't own Naruto or Bleach.

Death's Vow

Chapter 4

Lament Your Fate

Soifon remembered asking about the oppressive aura emitted by many hollows while she was still in the academy. The teacher described it as a side effect of the blood lust certain less intelligent hollows emitted. Their willingness to kill influenced their reiatsu and resulted in an effect similar to spiritual pressure. The teacher had then gone on to explain that the hollows who were able to cause this effect were almost always some of the least intelligent and most savage. Easily dealt with by any skilled Shinigami. According to the professor, it was the hollows who were intelligent enough to control their blood lust which were the biggest threats.

When the hollow materialized in front of Uzumaki Naruto, her sensitivity immediately allowed her to sense its blood lust. Ignoring the slight effect it had on her, she maintained her gaze upon the smaller of the two opponents, gauging his reaction. When he did not move, she let her hand drop down to the hilt of her wakizashi, ready to intercede in an instant. When he still had not moved, even as the hollow was closing the distance with him. She frowned. _He must have never encountered anything like a hollow's aura before. Not that surprising that he would freeze._ Six inches of her blade were bared when she stopped, hearing what was probably the last sound she would predict the blond to make. He laughed. Uzumaki Naruto _laughed_. She was so surprised that her blade stayed where it was partially drawn even as the scene continued in front of her. His voice carried to her even as the hollow closed the last of the distance, albeit slower than before, almost... cautious. She almost didn't recognize it as his voice, as it was spoken in obvious and never heard before, humor.

"_This_ is the fierce hollow, the nemesis of the Shinigami. This _animal_ is what you fight against... Pathetic." And just like that the humor in his voice was gone, nothing more than a memory, replaced by his usual frigid tones. "This hollow is nothing more than a common beast. And it does not deserve the honor of dying by a blade." Soifon couldn't help but be interested in his face. She had seen more emotion on it in the past half minute than in any of their previous conversations. Her eyes narrowed, trying to make sure they weren't tricking her. But she couldn't deny it this time. Crimson bled into his eyes, pushing away the emotionless blue, and replacing it with rage. Soifon shivered as his voice sounded again, deep with fury. "You all wish to know how to kill. The easiest way is to conquer your fear and then... give it to your enemies!" Soifon sucked in a breath as a force that could be felt physically descended on her. It wasn't the sensation itself that surprised her, it was that she instantly could tell it was identical to the feeling a hollow gives off, increased a hundredfold. She stared wide eyed at the slits in his blood red eyes. "You all feel it don't you. Even though it isn't focused on you, observe what pure fear, pure terror can do to your enemy. You cannot simply be willing to kill. Your entire purpose at that moment, you entire being is focused on the sole objective of ending your enemy's existence. That is what you feel now, not simply the will to kill, but the _desire _to kill."

He approached the hollow, which Soifon only now noticed was cowering on the ground. His voice, lower this time, carried to her, "Pathetic." And with that he struck. She followed his movement forward, but she would have been surprised if anyone else had managed to. He buried his arm up to the elbow in the hollow's mask. The pain-filled screams of the hollow accompanied the sound of its mask shattering. His scarlet eyes were upon the gathered shinigami now, his back to the writhing hollow. "Any questions?" Red eyes faded along with the form of the dying hollow. The sapphire orbs were back, as emotionless as ever. With a final, "Good luck to you all." The blond turned his back and walked away.

In the following silence Soifon realized that she was still halfway through the motion of drawing her blade. With a final glance towards the retreating back of Naruto, she sheathed her blade and turned to the stunned spectators, trying to organize them.

...

Junko nervously gripped the hilt of her zanpakuto, eyes scanning for her target. Two of her friends and classmates stood behind her, each ready to fight. They were alone in the abandoned town that was the site of the evaluations, or at least they could not sense or see anyone around them. They were told their evaluators and, if necessary, protectors would be watching them.

It had taken awhile for the Shinigami in charge, along with Soifon-Taichou, to wake them from their collective trance. Junko was sure that much of their shock stemmed from seeing the legendary 'academy dead-last' Uzumaki Naruto kill such a frightening opponent without any effort. But in her own mind, the sight had given her a much more personal insight. For the first time she had been confronted with what truly was the essence of being a Shinigami. And she didn't think she liked it.

She steeled herself as a dark shape materialized from the shadows, its unmistakable mask almost glowing in contrast with its shadowed body. She forcibly dismissed her doubts, and readied herself.

...

Naruto's eyes stared out into the shadows of the town, its darkness increasing as dusk passed them and was replaced by full night. He stood on a hill outside the town, a little ways away from where Soifon had set up her base, where the students were expected to report back to. Periodically sounds of combat could be heard from the town and several groups of students had already reported in. His hand gripped the hilt of his blade tightly, finding some comfort in its familiar grip. His face held the same expressionless mask he had been wearing for years, as his cold eyes stared out, unseeing into the darkness.

Over the years, even before his death and appearance in Soul Society, Naruto had found it necessary to create mental walls and blocks to maintain his emotionless facade, his natural personality was simply so opposed to it that it had been impossible for him to maintain the mask without them. In his own mind, he hated the persona he had crafted for himself, it reminded him too much of certain people in his past he would just as soon forget. But it had been necessary. The blond's face grimaced. It seemed like every action in his life had been dictated by what was _necessary_.

But now, after years of having so little problems with maintaining his mask, he could literally feel the cracks appearing in his mental walls. Confronting an enemy such as the hollow should not have been a big deal, but something about it, the _audacity_ of it to challenge him angered him in a way that he still couldn't explain. He guessed that it had something to do with the demonic energy the hollow was using, though on a much smaller scale than any of the bijuu. Perhaps Kyuubi had sensed the opposing demonic energy and was managing to influence his emotions again.

Resolving to meditate on it further when he had a moment's peace, his attention was drawn to where Soifon had set up the check in for both students and their examiners. Soifon was quickly issuing orders, and most of the Shinigami seemed to be preparing to leave, their actions fast yet methodical, showing their training. Naruto studied their actions for a moment before he started walking over to them. He was almost halfway their when his eyes widened a fraction of an inch. Hardly noticeable, but if someone familiar with him had seen it, they would recognize how greatly surprised he was.

He stretched out his senses to confirm, even as his steps took a more hurried pace towards Soifon. His eyes widened again as more than half of the Shinigami disappeared with the familiar blur of shunpo. He executed one himself, covering the remaining distance between him and the remainder of the gathered Shinigami, coming to a stop directly in front of Ohmaeda Marechiyo, the vice-captain of the Second Division, and, he assumed, the one who had been left in charge.

"Ohmaeda-Fukutaichou, may I ask where Soifon-Taichou went with almost two thirds of our force?" The rather robust shinigami was startled by Naruto's sudden appearance. His eyes narrowed at the blond before him, caution and suspicion showing in his expression. The blond's cold voice drew attention from the score of trained shinigami still gathered there. Anyone who had heard his voice before could not miss the dangerous edge it held.

"What's it to you, Uzumaki? She just up and left, probably got bored of babysitting. Not that I blame her." The part of Naruto that analyzed those around him recognized the tones of his voice as partially a pathetic attempt to intimidate him, but mostly simple boredom. His eyes narrowed at the arrogant man before him.

"How many teams have yet to report back?" He managed to maintain his calm, but could already feel anger leaking into his system. He mentally cursed himself, trying to hold back the recognizable rage. By this time the conversation had the attention of all the Shinigami in the area, both the academy students and the fully trained.

"Go annoy someone else, punk. Not all of us were as impressed as the academy students at the little show you put on earlier. I don't have time for brats like you." This time Naruto welcomed the rage that came boiling through his system. With a feral growl that sent shivers through the gathered shinigami, he grabbed the front the vice-captain's black uniform and pulled down until they were at eye level to each other. A familiar weight settled on those gathered as crimson once again replaced sapphire in Naruto's eyes.

"_How many teams?" _The harsh whisper was heard by all gathered.

Ohmaeda Marechiyo, though not the brightest member of the second squad, was not a pushover as some believed. He was very arrogant and enjoyed picking fights, but he had the strength to back up most of his threats. More specifically, his strength in combat, particularly in the physical aspects of it, was pretty much the only thing he had going for him, other than his family name. No matter how much he was disliked, few could dispute the fact that he possessed the strength to act as the vice-captain to the second squad. These thoughts went through the minds of those shinigami _priviliged_ enough to know him, as they saw the fear in his eyes. They themselves stood immobile under the force of Naruto's killing intent, though it was not nearly as oppressive as his earlier display. Marechiyo stood transfixed by the scarlet eyes.

After a moment of silence he managed to gasp out, "Eleven teams still have yet to report in."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and released the man. Turning his back on them, the oppressive aura faded.

"I suggest you prepare yourselves, we are about to be needed. With our force reduced to this, we will have trouble keeping the academy students safe from the approaching hollows." His cold voice was back, as he stared out at the city, senses reaching for the signatures he had detected earlier.

Marechiyo, still a little shaky from his experience, tried to recover some dignity, "Hollows got no reason to come around here, and that one piece of hollow bait wasn't enough to attract any significant hollows to the area." There was a moment of silence and then a bright red light shot up into the sky over the abandoned town. The signal that help was needed. Marechiyo, sensible enough to do his job, though still not worried, turned to issue orders. He was startled by their shocked expression as they stared behind him. Turning his head back to the town, he stared at the blond that stood silhouetted on the skyline over the town. And the half a dozen emergency signals that framed his figure.

Not even bothering to turn back to them, Naruto spoke, his frigid tones carrying even over the increased sounds of battle. "Nevertheless, they are here." And with the flicker of shunpo, he was gone. His brain finally catching up to the sight before him, Vice-captain Ohmaeda Marechiyo began issuing orders, even as he realized what serious shit they were in.

...

Naruto dashed through the shadow filled streets. Blue eyes alert and scanning for threats as he headed towards the nearest emergency signal. One hand rested on his sheathed blade, waiting for a provocation. Tonight blood would flow, there would be no restraining. A single tear fell from his eye. He could feel his blade pulse in response. It was ready, as always. His one constant companion. His voice sounded, only for himself, a whisper in the dark. "The sun weeps, as the crimson tides rise again."

An answering whisper sounded to his senses, it seemed to enfold him in warmth, in peace, even as it froze his fluctuating emotions. "Why do you fight?" He stopped, eyes darting from shadow to shadow, seeking the bearer of that voice.

"Who's there?" His voice, though quiet, rang with cold authority.

The voice sounded again, without direction, but full of peace, and this time decidedly feminine, "That is not important right now. You will remember me in time. What is important right now, is that you remember yourself."

Naruto felt annoyance at this calm voice and had to consciously prevent the anger from flooding over him again. His voice rang again this time louder, a small amount of his annoyance showing through in his tones, "I do not know who you are, but I do not have time for your riddles. Good day."

"Do not worry, you will know how to find yourself in time. We will be waiting, Naruto."

...

Junko stood before the hollow, her drawn zanpakuto a feeble defense to its monstrous form. Her teammates were behind her both on the ground unconscious from the hollow's sneak attack. They had done fine against the original hollow they faced, pinning it down and wounding it with several kidou spells before Junko was able to split its mask with her sword. They had celebrated a job well done, letting down their guard for a moment. And then it struck. Apparently it had been stalking them for awhile. It had taken advantage of their momentary distraction to attack. Junko was able to leap out of the way, but neither of her teammates were agile enough, receiving the full force of hollow's opening attack and were sent flying against the building behind her.

Which brought her to where she was now. She had no idea what happened to their evaluators, though, judging by the hollow's skill at stealth and surprise attacks, it would not be inconceivable that they had already been rendered unable to fight. She had already sent up the emergency signal, but judging from the grin of the hollow before her, it wasn't planning on letting the reinforcements arrive in time. The hollow paced in front of her, stalking back and forth on all four limbs, its cat like form towering over her as it waited for the chance to strike. She struck out with her blade, but the hollow, with feline grace, easily avoided the blade. It grinned at her. "So this is what the Shinigami are reduced to now. Terrified children, hardly old enough to swing a blade." Its smirk turned malicious, "Pathetic." Junko flinched at the word, mind going back to a cold, emotionless voice speaking the same word hours before. "At least those other two managed to sense me before I attacked, not that it did them much good." She paled, now knowing with certainty the fate of her examiners.

"Shut up and fight!" Gathering her courage, she charged the hollow, though she had to immediately jump back to avoid its clawed arm as it struck out at her. It stared her in the eyes for a moment before chuckling. Then, it vanished. Junko spun around, stretching her senses out, trying to feel the reiatsu of her enemy. The shadows seemed to darken around her, even as the hollow's voice echoed over the abandoned street.

"How shall I kill you, little girl? Shall I slash your throat out and watch you struggle to draw a last breath. Shall I remove your arms and legs and let you slowly bleed out. Or perhaps I will simply immobilize you, and let you feel every excruciating moment as I _devour _you!" Junko's eyes widened as a familiar aura of killing intent landed on her. She immediately recognized it, having been under its effects a scant few hours ago. She clutched her blade as she backed up closer to her teammates, determined to protect them. By this time, she realized that the hollow was toying with her, and she knew that her only hope lay with reinforcements. Eyes hardening, she stood, determined to defend her fallen friends with her last breath.

"_This is who you are. This is your purpose._" A soft voice sounded in her ear, and Junko immediately recognized it as the voice of her zanpakuto, though she had only been able to talk to it briefly on a scant few occasions. The voice rang with a gentle, but confident strength. "_Here is where your path lies. Between the enemy and those who cannot defend themselves." _ Junko closed her eyes for a moment. She had been uncomfortable when confronted with the cold hearted truth of what it meant to be a shinigami. She couldn't accept that purpose. She couldn't kill without remorse, without emotion. "_And that is why you are worthy of my strength. When the day comes that you welcome killing, that is the day my strength will leave you."_ She nodded to herself, recognizing the truth that the voice spoke. "_Call me out. Call me to protect. As one we will stand before the darkness. As one we shall stand between heaven and hell. My strength is yours. Your will is mine. Call me out." _

_"_So you are able to stand before my killing intent. Impressive. I did not think you had it in you. But it is of no matter. This is still the place you die." The voice of the hollow snapped her back to reality. She slowly raised her katana out of its guard position to above her head. She held it horizontally, the edge of it pointed to the sky, one hand on the hilt and one hand supporting the blade about two thirds of the way down the length. She stared towards the sky, as she called out, her voice strong with new found confidence, "_Shittsui yori tenkyuu, Yabun no Tenshi._" (**Descend from the Heavens, Angel of the Night**)

A flash appeared in the sky, streaking towards them, Junko lifted her blade up, its point towards the sky and the falling star impacted directly on it. There was no explosion, no noticeable burst of power, the comet seemed to simply be absorbed by Junko's blade. She felt peace settle on her as she examined her blade. Her sword was still a katana, but where silver steel had been before, a deep blue, almost black metal made up the blade. It was scattered with pinpricks of light that seemed to twinkle of their own accord. The edge of the blade was black as midnight as well as the hilt. The silver guard was a perfect circle, taking the appearance of the moon. Her eyes turned to where she could sense the lurking hollow. Her eyes glowed, strong and confident as she lowered the sword back into a guard position. She remained silent, waiting for her opponent to strike.

"Amusing, you think your new found power will save you." The hollow stalked out from the shadows. It walked on all four limbs, feline grace showing in its movements, and standing twice as tall as Junko. Still, she didn't waver before its intimidating figure. "Foolish little shinigami. You still have no idea of what you face." Its clawed hand once again lashed out at her, but this time she brought her sword to bear and with an elegant sidestep, left a long gash up the hollow's arm. She ignored its scream as she stepped in close, aiming her next slash for the hollow's mask, her eyes grim with determination. Faster than she could see, the hollow's hand intercepted the blade, catching it easily, disabling her weapon. "It seems I may have underestimated you slightly, but the game is over."

And then Junko's world was consumed by pain. She could feel it as the hollow slowly drew the claw out of her chest. She struggled to draw breath, feeling her lungs begin to flood with her own crimson blood. She coughed and stared at the ground unseeing, uncomprehending the pool of blood that was beginning to spread around her. Dimly she realized she had fallen to her knees, and a certain part of her mind registered that her blade lay beside her, back in its normal form. But beyond this all she could think about was the pain. That and the cold, chilling laugh that echoed across the street.

...

Naruto felt a change in the reiatsu of the encounter that he was heading towards. He could already tell that it wasn't enough of a change to influence the ultimate outcome of the fight, but hopefully whoever it was would be able to hold on for just another minute. He poured a decent amount of his rather meager reiatsu stores into his legs, pushing himself further, faster. He finally landed on a building overlooking the confrontation, just in time to see Junko step inside the hollow's guard. He was already moving by the time that the hollow had caught her blade and then impaled her with with its intimidating claws. His eyes narrowed, and the emotions that had been swirling through him all day seemed to freeze and vanish, leaving behind the cold, and emotionless warrior that had been feared throughout the Elemental Nations. Konoha's Demon was out for blood.

...

She could feel the darkness closing around the edges of her vision. A small part of her fought back against it, willing it back, but the larger part of her welcomed the relief from the pain. Then there was a voice, a voice she recognized for its cold tones, only now the cold tones held a burning, intimidating edge. She struggled to understand the words the voice spoke, fighting back against the darkness that threatened to envelop her. With a burst of strength she didn't realize she had, Junko forced her eyes to open and focus upon the scene before her. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the back of the blond shinigami that stood between her and the hollow. His cold voice cut through her haze.

"I have no time to play games with you. I give you your only two choices: leave or die." He spoke the words with simple certainty and finality. One hand gripped the sheath of his blade, thumb directly under the guard. They stood like that for a moment of silence before the hollow laughed.

"You have some audacity, shinigami. I think I'll make sure your death is painful." The distinct sound of sliding metal sounded for an instant, drawing both Junko's and the hollow's attention to Naruto's side. His thumb had pushed up on the guard of the blade, baring an inch of steel. Naruto's voice sounded again, frigid in the evening air.

"You have made your choice. So be it." With slow elegance, Naruto drew his blade, baring the unadorned silver metal, words coming to his lips as he did so. "Aitou shukumei, Oniken." (**Lament your fate, Demon Blade) **The sword rang as it was unsheathed, but the ringing sound did not die away. It increased, rising in pitch and volume till it was almost deafening. Junko was sure that every shinigami and hollow in the area could hear it. And then it changed. From the metallic ringing sound it turned to an animalistic howl, a cry of grief and sorrow, of loneliness and despair. Junko felt tears come into her eyes as the sound rang in her heart, echoing with a chord that told of a lifetime of pain. And as the sound reached its peak, the blade changed. Shadows seemed to leak out of it, wrapping the blade in a cloak of darkness, until none of the blade could be seen. The hilt also changed, but to a pure white, as if to provide a counterpoint to the shadowy blade. The mournful cry ceased and faded away, leaving a strange loneliness behind.

Naruto stared at the flickering shadows that wrapped his blade and Junko was shocked to realize that he had a small smile on his face. His voice was heard, though it was immediately apparent that it was not for anyone's benefit but his own. "It has been awhile, my friend." His words rang with fondness, as if he was greeting a lifelong friend that he hadn't seen in years. But then the expression faded as his eyes went to the pure white hilt of the blade. His hand seemed to caress the snowy handle hesitantly and for an instant, Junko saw his eyes glisten with unshed tears. Then they were gone as Naruto turned back to his enemy. Cold blue eyes met the glowing eyes of the hollow. And in that moment the hollow realized that this enemy was far beyond him. "Now, you die." In an instant a line of shadowy flame had been traced across the hollow's mask. Junko this time managed to make Naruto's movements out as a blur, but still was shocked at his speed. The hollow didn't even have time to react, before it was fading from existence. The sound of sliding metal sounded again as the blond sheathed his blade.

He quickly sent up the blue signal calling for medical assistance and then he was at Junko's side in an instant, moving with the same speed he had attacked the hollow. She could make out his concerned face, but everything seemed to be growing darker, fading from her vision. His words made their way to her through the darkness, and Junko thought they might actually be tinged with something akin to concern. "Soichiro-san. Concentrate, you need to remain conscious. Help is on the way." Junko tried to draw a breath, but she felt as if a huge weight was on her chest. At least the pain was beginning to fade, being replace by a cold numbness. Naruto's voice sounded again, though this time they seemed to be tinged with something other than concern. The words were quiet, almost mournful. She could barely here them as she faded. "Your going to be alright, Junko." She smiled at his words, at the fact that he had said her name. She couldn't make out his face anymore, all there was was darkness. Distantly she heard his words, no more than a whisper and tinged with sorrow. "That's a promise." And then there was nothing.


	6. Fate of the Jinchuuriki

Greetings again to all my loyal readers. I must say it has been an interesting month. My muse decided to start beating the crap out of me, giving me several new story ideas I have started working on, as well as attempting to make progress on my novel. Anyways between that and school I have been extremely busy. I must say this was probably the chapter that I have been most satisfied with so far so I hope you enjoy it. This is really the first substantial look at the back story of Naruto's life, as well as the events that made him who he is. Also, I have received quite a few questions regarding pairings for this story, with the general consensus seeming to be it should be Naruto/Soifon pairing. I am undecided as of right now on the pairing, or whether there will actually be a pairing. As of right now I'm leaning a little more towards there not being a pairing, but still am making up my mind. Feel free to give your opinion, though know that this isn't a poll. I am going to decide on what I believe fits best into the story, I simply like seeing what other people's ideas are and sometimes merge them with my own. Know that if there does wind up being a pairing, it will not happen for a long time and will definitely not be the focus of the story. Also, I can tell you all right now that this will _not_ be a harem. I felt I needed to clear that up, because I was looking back over the story and realized that the only characters Naruto has had any major interaction with have been women. I didn't plan that, didn't even realize I had done it until this chapter. Just wanted to let you all know that I am not setting up a harem for Naruto. I find those stories, at best, to usually be juvenile and unrealistic, and at worst, to simply be sexist enactments of immature teenage boys' fantasies. Pardon my rant. And just so everyone knows I will probably be performing a slight rewrite of the first several chapters before I get the next chapter out. Nothing major, its simply now that I am really fleshing out Naruto's back story, I feel the need to change a few minor details in earlier chapters that may be slightly inconsistent with the back story I am forming. As always, I appreciate constructive criticism, even if its nitpicking. I am a perfectionist so if you see something that you think needs to be corrected, tell me and I will see to it. Especially in regards to my use(and subsequent probable massacre) of the Japanese language. Love those reviews.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Bleach or Naruto. (...Damn it)

Death's Vow

Chapter 5

Fate of the Jinchuuriki

Silence occupied the room. Three people stood, clad in the standard Shinigami garb, while a fourth sat behind a desk, studying them with intense eyes. Each detail of the three in front of her was systematically noted and filed away inside the head of the Shinigami captain. The first figure, while she bore no signs of participating in battle, could easily be seen to be exhausted. Her short, gray hair was in disarray and her eyes were drooping. But still she stood with discipline under her gaze, a sign of someone who knew proper protocol.

The second figure, was rather large man with an imposing air, especially when compared to the petite form of the first figure. His uniform was dirtied and torn; stained in several places with blood, both the thick crimson produced by his own body, and the brackish black that was common among lower hollows. His face gave no sign of pain or fatigue, as he stood at attention with the military precision of a well disciplined soldier. Though he did keep shooting somewhat nervous glances at the last of the three figures.

The last figure in line was the most noticeable of the three. Besides his bright blond hair and distinctive whiskers on his face, his outfit drew attention in that it wasn't the standard shinigami uniform. Add in the fact that the chest and sleeves of the simple black, long sleeved shirt were liberally coated in dried, crimson blood, and a person would be very hard pressed not to notice him. His face was expressionless, though anyone who took the time to meet his gaze could easily recognize the emotions swirling under the surface. Behind his deceptively calm facade, their raged a frozen ocean of anger. His sapphire eyes never left the petite figure which sat before them. His hand, coated with dried blood, stood out in stark contrast upon the pure white hilt of his blade.

"Where the hell were you?" There was no disguising the anger in his voice as it broke the silence of the room. Its barely controlled fury made the words seem strained to remain at their normal emotionless pitches. He didn't rant or rave, didn't shout, simply asked the question and waited for an answer, eyes never leaving the shinigami captain which sat behind her desk. The room seemed to suffer a sudden drop in temperature as Soifon met Uzumaki Naruto's gaze without flinching. Kotetsu Isane and Ohmaeda Marechiyo exchanged uneasy glances.

"Watch your tone, Uzumaki. Remember your place and show respect." Their stare down continued, neither flinching from the other's gaze. Naruto's voice broke the silence, though he spoke in quiet tones.

"The people who deserve my respect, have never had to ask for it, much less demand it." The room's temperature dropped another few degrees as matching anger appeared in Soifon's face.

"Be very careful with your next words, Uzumaki." The silence after this statement hung in the air for minutes. Finally deciding that the blond wasn't going to offer a retort, Soifon turned to her Lieutenant. "Now, I want a full report of what happened and why half a dozen of my shinigami are lying in beds over in the fourth squad, alongside almost two dozen academy students." The imposing figure of Ohmaeda Marechiyo shrunk a little under her gaze as he responded, his clipped military tones covering his nerves.

"Sir, immediately after you left, distress flares were launched from almost every team still in the field. I dispatched teams to extract them, but with our depleted numbers, and having to divide our remaining forces, casualties were inevitable. Initial reports show that there were at least two dozen hollows on the field at the time I dispatched the extraction teams. A squad of medics was immediately requested and they arrived promptly under the command of Kotetsu-fukutaichou. Fortunately, there seems there was nothing above C-class hollows, so we were able to avoid any fatalities, sir."

Before Soifon could respond, Naruto's voice once again broke the silence. "No, the hollow that attacked the team of Soichiro Junko was a high B-class hollow. Soichiro-san was fortunate to unlock her shikai against it or I wouldn't have been able to intervene in time."

This brought Soifon's attention back on the blond. She had not missed the change in his blade. "And you proceeded to kill it with your shikai. Uzumaki, I do not appreciate being misled or lied to. You were asked a direct question in regards to your zanpakuto in my presence yesterday. You led me to believe that you had never tried to contact the spirit of your blade. But according to Kotetsu-san's report, you unlocked your shikai, which not only was able to kill a high B-class hollow, but also demonstrated remarkable abilities to heal Soichiro Junko's injuries. Now, I want some answers and I am going to get some answers. You will not get away with any cryptic statements this time."

Kotetsu Isane, the fourth division lieutenant had for the most part remained silent for the entire meeting, almost feeling as if she was an outsider. But now she drew up her courage as she interrupted before the blond could answer, asking a question that had been on her mind since arriving on the scene of Junko's injury. "So that healing technique you used on Junko, that was your sword. I've never seen an injury that serious heal that quickly or completely. I don't think she'll even have a scar."

Naruto released the hilt of his blade, leaving crimson streaks where his fingers had been. He glanced down at it for a moment. "As for my earlier words regarding my sword, I spoke only the truth, Soifon. But there was only ever one blade that would serve me, in life or death." This answer provoked a stunned silence from the room. Naruto then turned to face Isane, "And as for that technique,I learned it while I was alive. The reason it heals so completely is because instead of accelerating growth, it reverses the damage, making it as if the injury never happened." This explanation left her incredulous. She could easily see the effectiveness of such a technique. Excited she was about to ask further questions when the blond's next statement silenced her. "I am not able to teach this as it seems to be partially tied to my sword. It seems to have undergone some changes in its powers since arriving here. Furthermore, though it is easily the most effective healing technique I know, its cost is great." She was slightly disappointed at this but hardly even thought about it as she realized the true meaning of his words.

"Do you- I mean- You can remember your life. And that sword that I saw, you used it when you were alive?" Her voice was quiet, almost reverent. It was a truly rare event for a shinigami to recall anything about their previous life.

"Soifon, may I ask as to whether you have researched the word 'jinchuuriki'?" This question puzzled the two lieutenants, but Soifon understood, though the information she had gathered was sparse at best.

"Uzumaki, whatever you may have done today, I am still a captain and as such I expect to be addressed as Soifon-taichou, am I clear?" She glared at the blond, but he remained silent, almost uncaring of her reprimand. Soifon's voice took a hard edge, warning clear in its tones. "Am I clear?"

His words were said in his usual cold manner, but their was a definite edge to them, matching Soifon's tones. "Until you can give me a reasonable explanation for abandoning your post, an act that I regard as borderline treason, you will not receive any of the respect that you believe you deserve, _Soifon."_

Spiritual pressure crashed down on the room as Soifon's anger became palpable. There was a flash and a ring of metal as she appeared directly in front of the disrespectful blond, her blade unsheathed and across his throat. Naruto had frozen, his own blade half drawn as Soifon stared into his eyes. The anger was clear on Soifon's face, but Naruto's was oddly serene, uncaring of the blade against his throat. His freezing eyes stared back into Soifon's, a challenge hidden in their depths, and an unreadable emotion showing within them. They remained like that for a moment, simply staring into each other's eyes.

"Uzumaki, as a captain I have to make decisions each and every day that may get people killed. I have to live every day with the weight of each death that comes about from them. Now, you don't have to like me, but you damn well better respect me and the responsibility I hold. I made what I believed to be the right choice. It may not have been, but that doesn't really matter now. Fortunately, no one died today, so all in all, I'd call it a win."

With that she sheathed her weapon and returned to her seat. "Look at my blade." Naruto's cold voice broke the silence unexpectedly. He had removed it completely from its sheath and held it flat, edge towards himself, both hands underneath the blade. The metal of the blade was the simple slate gray of steel, unadorned in any fashion. The only abnormality of the blade was near the hilt, where a section, no more than four or five inches, was a pure sky blue. This colored section of the blade seemed to fade into the normal blade as it went away from the hilt, with nothing to indicate there was a difference in the metals. The hilt was white, though crimson streaks now adorned it where Naruto had grasped it. Naruto spoke, his tones were distant, almost as though he were trying to separate himself from the words he was speaking.

"_Oniken_, one of the _T__ogiretogire Yaiba, _the Broken Blades. Swords of legend from my land. I do not understand how I came here, but the land where I lived was a different land than the the Human World. In my world, the feats of Shinigami would have seemed almost ordinary, people with great physical and spiritual power were both commonplace... As was war." His eyes took a distant look to them, almost unaware of those with him in the room. Though their faces had taken incredulous expressions, his three listeners remained silent, afraid to interrupt, unwilling to intrude on sacred ground. "_Oniken_, and its brother were said to only surface in times of great strife and will almost inevitably oppose one another. Each of them had been broken and then reforged with the piece from the opposite blade, earning their names. It was said that if they were ever united again, as they once were, their power would become unmatched." Naruto slowly resheathed his blade, not even looking at it. "I come from a land of destruction, of death, of war. A land destroyed by arrogance, betrayal, and revenge." At this last word he met Soifon's eyes. She flinched as she met his gaze, his cerulean eyes colder than she could recall. "Choosing to seek revenge over duty is the act of a traitor. Know this, Soifon, if you ever cause me to draw my blade against you again, you had best be prepared to kill me, for one of us will not live to see that day end." He maintained his gaze for another moment before spinning on his heel and taking a step towards the door.

"What could someone like you know of betrayal, of the desire for revenge." Soifon voice lashed out at him, colored with anger and he stopped where he was his back to them. His voice, when he spoke, was still cold.

"Soifon, you feel you were betrayed by someone who cared enough for you to make the difficult decision for you. Even today, when you received word of Shihouin Yoruichi's location all you could think about was revenge, forgetting your duty. You lost a mentor, but she gave you the opportunity reach where you are today." He turned back to them and all three were taken aback by the single tear that trailed down the side of his cheek. He left it unacknowledged as he continued. "The person who taught me that technique I used today, she used it once, to save my life, at the cost of her own. That is the cost of that technique. A life for a life." His eyes were no longer focused on them, "With her death, she finally managed to not only say the words she had struggled for years to say, but she proved them, to herself and to me. I can't claim that I returned her love, but I could have, in time, grown to love her." Naruto's eyes became focused once more on Soifon, frigid steel showing in his eyes. "That was the first of my future's stolen from me by betrayal, the 'might have beens' that never happened because of my brother's dagger in my back. I know more about betrayal than I would wish on anyone. And there have been times in my life that I have known nothing but the desire for revenge. I walked down that lonely road as far as anyone can. Do not make the same mistake." He took a deep breath before turning back to the door. "If you will excuse me, I have something to speak with Soichiro-san about."

"She's unconscious right now, over in the fourth division." Isane managed to speak up before he was completely out the door. "She only seems to be suffering from severe exhaustion, but that will keep her out for a few days. If you want, I can give her a message when she wakes up."

Naruto halted once more before the open door, his voice was quiet, but clearly showing emotion, his tones mournful. "No, I believe she needs to here it from me. It is my responsibility." He turned his head, glancing over his shoulder at Soifon, "Today was not a win. Soichiro Junko is dying." Complete silence met his statement. So complete was their shock that it took them a full ten seconds to react after Naruto collapsed onto the floor as he took a step into the hallway.

...

The initial report Retsu Unohana received from her lieutenant intrigued her greatly. Even from the brief words she could see how much this Uzumaki Naruto's zanpakuto had impressed her second in command. Hours later she was able to personally debrief Kotetsu Isane and found herself to be not only impressed, but also puzzled by the enigma. His description of the healing ability of his blade was most fascinating, though the cost of it left her hesitant. Still, he had failed to explain how he could use a technique he claimed cost the user his life. When she had discovered that he had collapsed with a serious chest injury that had gone unnoticed and untreated by the medics, since he did nothing to draw attention to it, she determined that he warranted a personal examination.

So here she was, walking to the blond's room in her squad's medical facilities, intending to examine his injuries for herself. She held her own blade in her hand as she walked, her pace unhurried. Her face held the peace and gentleness of one who had devoted decades to the healing arts. She was perhaps the main reason why the fourth squad had never been permanently disbanded. Many shinigami felt that the job of the medic was unnecessary, since a soul's form and body is much more resilient than the body of a human. Shinigami had such high spiritual presence that they could recover from all but the most serious of wounds, and the wounds that they could not recover from would almost always claim the life of a shinigami before a medic could arrive on the scene. It was for this reason that many squads felt that the fourth squad was only good for menial labor, as most of them were not nearly as skilled when it came to the combat aspects of the shinigami.

But Retsu Unohana had practically created a new art, the techniques of Soul Healing. Grievous wounds could be healed by a skilled medic where before there had been no hope. They actually had to redefine the definition of shinigami death as the technique was so effective, that shinigami who would have previously been already pronounced deceased, were able to be healed. Retsu Unohana had given the Fourth Division back their pride and for that, every member was fiercely loyal to her. But as a medic, she was always curious to study a different method of healing.

The door was closed to Uzumaki Naruto's room, and she opened it slowly, quietly, though she could have probably slammed it open and it would have been unable to disturb the comatose patient. But her silence let her observe the room without being discovered and what she saw surprised her. At the foot of the bed stood Soifon, the captain of the Second Division. Isane had mentioned that her and Uzumaki seemed to be at odds with each other, even going so far as to pull their blades on one another, so she was probably the last person she expected to come see him. She moved quietly into the room and stood next to her fellow captain, both of their gazes on the bed ridden blond. She had to admit that his features were striking. His facial structure was hard and angled in the manner of some nobility but his whisker marks and the wild blond hair gave his features an almost feral quality.

"I must say, after talking to Isane, I am surprised to find you her Soifon-san." Her voice was the respectful tone of speaking to someone who was not close to you but still regarded as an equal. Her words were greeted only by silence and the sound of Naruto's light breathing. Figuring she was going to receive no response from her fellow captain, she moved to the side of the bed, hands already glowing with spiritual energy as she examined his wounds. Her probe reached the blond and she suddenly was overcome with nausea.

Perhaps one of Unohana's greatest talents was her sensitivity to Soul Energy. Over the years she had honed it so she could examine a patient simply by examining the state of their soul. The downside of it was that she became sensitive to many more things about a patient, things that she didn't need or want to know. There had only been a few times that it had ever presented any particular difficulties, so she still used it, as the benefits far outweighed the costs. But upon reaching out to examine Uzumaki Naruto's soul, she found herself choking back her own bile.

"What's wrong?" She found herself being supported by Soifon as she struggled to stand. Her face was pale and her hands shook.

"I don't know. I've... I've never felt anything like this." She took a moment to steady herself, shrugging off Soifon's hand. "It's as if his entire being is scarred and.. twisted. Bent out of shape by great forces. Cracking and buckling under external pressure. I cannot imagine what someone would have to go through for their soul to be in that state." She regained her strength and once more reached out her senses towards the blond, though this time more tentatively. She spoke even as she continued to examine him. "But there's something else. A soul this damaged should be, quite literally, shattered, but its almost as if there is something holding it together, mending cracks and lending strength. It's... actually, I have no idea what it could be." She finished her examination with a sigh. "He truly is an enigma, perhaps he will have some answers when he wakes up."

"I wouldn't count on it. The only thing he seems to ever do is create more questions." Soifon's voice was strained, trying to make light of the situation, even as she had something on her mind.

"Is something wrong, you seem distracted." Soifon silently cursed medics and their uncanny abilities of perception. Still, she should probably tell her of it, if she was going to be providing care for the blond. Her voice, after a moment's pause, was quiet and reflective.

"I held my blade across his throat." She resumed her study of the Naruto's face. "I held my blade across his throat and looked into his eyes. I don't know what I thought I would see. Fear; anger maybe; hate. Its been bothering me ever since then, but I think I finally realize what it was." She trailed off and just stood there for a moment. Slowly she turned to the door and left, but she turned as she walked through the doorway, getting one last glance of the unconscious Uzumaki Naruto. "It was hope. Hope that the end was finally here. Hope for nothing more than death."

Retsu Unohana pondered Soifon's words as she too left the room. She closed the door behind her, unseeing of the single tear that trickled down the cheek of Uzumaki Naruto.

...

A whisper shattered the darkness. "Why do you fight?" The question echoed, mocking him. A demon quietly speaking in his ear. "It's all I know how to do." The whisper answered itself, even as it rebelled against its response. "What gives you strength?" Another question, echoing with the first. "My trials, my adversity." Always the same voice, asking and answering, back and forth, chasing itself in the never ending circle, whispers in the dark. The same voice, echoed a hundred times, asking the same two questions, even as it answered back. When silence came, it came as the whisper had, as an intruder in the night. A new voice entered the midnight realm, a voice of kindness and love. An angel reaching out to a shattered demon.

"You remembered your promise." The statement rang in the night, stronger than the hundreds of whispers.

"That is my nindo." The whisper of demon was stronger than before, stretching out for the touch, the blessing of an angel, that it may suffer in its hell with contentment, knowing that it had for a single instant known beauty and love.

"Do you know my name?" And the demon wept for it was ashamed that it had no name worthy to grace such a thing of beauty. "Do you remember me?"

The demon remembered, and wept all the more for it.

"I do, Hinata-chan."

...

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, I couldn't keep my promise." Naruto lay on his back, a scarlet stain already spreading on the ground beneath him. He coughed weekly, crimson spattering lightly against Sakura's fair skin as she bent over him, her hands glowing green with the healing energy that was hopelessly seeking to repair the gaping wound in his chest. He saw her trying to blink back the tears that threatened to fall. He found his own eyes watering slightly, but that was just because of the stench of burned flesh and ozone.

"Damn it, you baka, why did you hesitate? I saw it, you held back and let him do this. Why couldn't you forget that stupid promise?" She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze, so she bent further over his wound, trying to force the healing chakra to repair the irreparable. As she stared down at her hands another one laid itself on top of hers. There was a tiny snap of chakra and Sakura felt her connection with the healing chakra cut off. She fumbled for it, but it was gone. The hand then lifted her chin up, bringing her emerald green eyes into contact with the cerulean orbs of Naruto.

"Its my nindo, Sakura. Its who I am. If I can die with that intact, I can accept my death."

A cry interrupted their gaze, a shriek of pain and mourning. Naruto looked up and found his gaze locked with the lavender eyes of Hyuuga Hinata as she stared at him with wide eyes, tears already spilling down her cheeks. "Naruto-kun." Even as the cry left her lips, she was at his side, studying his wounds. She seemed almost in a daze. Naruto managed what he thought would be his last smile, managing his mischievous, foxy grin.

"Dying the hero, with two beautiful women mourning my death. Can't imagine a much better way to go, ne?" His chuckle turned into a hacking cough, sending a single crimson drop to mix with the tears upon Hinata's face. This seemed to wake her from her daze. Her hands flashed through handseals with the uncanny speed and the chakra build up was almost tangible. "Hinata, don't. There's nothing you can do." If anything her gaze became even more determined. Naruto was caught off guard as she grabbed his hand. He felt the cold steel of a kunai between their hands but didn't have the strength to pull away. With a swift pull, Hinata cut both of their hands and grasped the cuts together, allowing their blood to intermingle. Her voice was fierce, a tone that Naruto couldn't say he had ever heard from her before, and for some reason he felt hopeful, as if her courage could stave off death itself.

"Jinchuuriki no Shukumei." **(Fate of the Jinchuuriki)**

Naruto could feel it as life was breathed back into his body. His senses came back from their dulled state, reawakening the pain of his wounds. But then those pains began to fade as well. He could literally feel his flesh knitting itself back together. He closed his eyes, reveling in the sensation. To be at the precipice of death and be pulled back was... intoxicating. The mending slowed and finally stopped and suddenly a weight fell on his chest. He opened his eyes to find that Hinata had collapsed upon his chest. Her lavender eyes stared up at him, filled with peace. Blood dripped from her mouth and he could see wounds all over her body. Including a massive wound on her chest. A wound that moments ago had been on his own. Her voice, no longer strong and fierce, was serene. "I'm glad I was finally able to show my love for you, Naruto-kun. I truly cannot think of a better way to die." And with those words the light faded from her eyes.

...

Only yesterday Uzumaki Naruto had been bedridden and completely unconscious, a massive chest wound and severe exhaustion being the stated causes.So when Kotetsu Isane entered his room and found him not only awake but standing, she could not keep the shocked expression from her face. He stood before a painter's easel a delicate brush in hand, though the paint upon it was dry. He didn't acknowledge the newcomer to the room, but simply stood before the painting, studying it as if it would disappear. Isane moved to an angle where she could better see the painting, remaining quiet, unwilling to wake the blond from his reverie. When she could finally see it clearly, she found herself as entranced as the painter seemed to be.

Upon the canvas lay a beautiful women. Her pale, pupil less eyes, though unseeing, stared up at the observer. Though it was immediately apparent the woman was dead, Isane thought that she had never seen such a peaceful expression upon anyone. Blood pooled underneath the woman's chest and a slight trickle left her delicate lips as she lay on her stomach and it was only upon observing this that Isane realized she was actually laying on the chest of another person. The painting was done from the viewpoint of this person looking down at the dead woman which rested on top of him. The entire painting had a noticeable crimson haze over it, as if everything had a slight coat of blood.

"She was the woman who loved you, who saved your life at the cost of her own?" Her voice was quiet, reverent of the sacred scene before her.

"She was." He did not move from his position, maintaining his gaze on the painting.

"What was her name?" This time silence greeted her question. She feared she may have intruded too far and was about to apologize when he spoke, reaching out as he did, to touch the cheek of the woman before him.

"Shugotenshi. Konoha's Guardian Angel. Hyuuga Hinata." Silence once again descended upon the scene and this time, Isane was unwilling to break it. "Was there something you needed, Kotetsu-fukutaichou?" It took her a moment to realize that he had spoken.

"Uh, right. Well, I didn't think you'd be up so I just came to check up on you, but since you are up, Unohana-taichou will want to speak with you." He turned his gaze on her and she was caught off guard by the emotions in his eyes.

"May I inquire what her interest in me is." A slightly mischievous smile broke over her face as she answered him.

"All I'm allowed to say is that she has some questions for you." Naruto nodded his head to her once, before turning back to the painting. After one last glance at the scene, he took it and slid it into a book that was lying on his bed. The book seemed to be a large folder specifically for the high quality papers used by painters. With easy movements she would not have expected from someone who had been bedridden the day before, he placed both the book and the easel on top of a large unrolled scroll. His hands seemed to form a specific shape as he uttered a single word.

"Fuuin." A plume of smoke accompanied the word, obscuring her view of the blond, though she heard him repeat the word again after a few seconds. After the smoke cleared, the book, easel, and scroll had all vanished. "Then let us not keep her waiting." He exited the room, leaving a speechless silver haired woman behind him. It took her only an instant to regain her senses and she was immediately hurrying after him.

...

Retsu Unohana had had an unusual couple days and that trend seemed to be continuing as Uzumaki Naruto entered her office, accompanied by her Lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane. Her eyebrows climbed towards her dark hair as her eyes met those of her second in command, but all she received was a shrug of the shoulders as an explanation. By the time her gaze had returned to Naruto, he had taken a respectful and disciplined stance before her.

"You wished to see me, Retsu-taichou." She studied him for a minute in silence, her eyes meeting his cold sapphire orbs. She offered him a smile as she spoke.

"Uzumaki-san. What would you say to an offer of joining the Fourth Division?"


	7. The Way of the Sword

Greetings again. I'd first like to thank everyone who reviewed and messaged me, encouraging me to continue writing. I never intended to quit it, but due to some things happening I pretty much lost my inspiration to write for awhile. Anywho, I'm back on the writing wagon, and feel that my writing has actually improved. I'm pretty pleased with this chapter. I also feel like I have little bit more of a plan of where I want the story to go, instead of just a series of events I wanted to happen. Don't know how long it will be before I get another update out. I've got a full time job plus my original novel that I'm working on, but hopefully it won't be nearly as long as last time. As always, reviews are appreciated and constructive criticism is always welcome. Enjoy! Oh, and also, bonus points to anyone who can spot the two things in this chapter inspired by popular books of fiction. I'll let everyone know next chapter so no one can accuse me of claiming someone else's ideas, I just thought it would be interesting to see who could spot them. One is pretty easy and the other, not so much.

Oh yeah, had to reupload to include this: Naruto and Bleach do not belong to me and I make no profit from this. Simply using this medium to try and improve as a writer. So no suing...please.

Chapter 6

The Way of the Sword

Darkness surrounded him, enclosing but never touching his skin. He could look down at his hand and see it plainly, but anything beyond a foot from him was nothing but shadows and whispers. The whispers were never ceasing, as if from a thousand voices, none agreeing but all speaking at the same time, and they surrounded his figure every bit as much as the darkness. Nothing, either sight or sound, was distinct, and he found himself turning and seeking, with both eye and ear for something discrete, something identifiable as separate from the mass of shadows, different from the orchestra of whispers. Shadows became human figures, still dark and indistinguishable from each other, and the whispers increased to muttered voices, still sounding the cacophony of a thousand voices speaking at once. There was anger in their voices, and love; hope and terror; hatred and devotion and every other emotion; each with their own representative in the throng, all speaking at once. He spun around still seeking something to hang onto, somewhere solid and true to shelter his sanity as the voices kept getting louder and louder, and the figures crowded closer and closer, each seeking to reach him first, but never pushing each other. The voices continued in their crescendo, reaching their peak until it was as if all the world was shouting their hatred and devotion to him. All he could do was crouch down, holding his hands over his ears, and wait for the tidal wave of sound to pass, and hope that he retained his sanity.

The silence that followed was every bit as deafening as the sound had been, and he found himself missing the voices. The figures surrounding him had ceased their advance, leaving a circle close to ten feet across which was void of anything except himself, standing in the center. The circle itself seemed to have its own light and strength, preventing the shadows from advancing any further, lest they be banished by the radiance that surrounded him. He turned his head slowly, eying the figures and, though he could not see anything more than shadows, he got the sense that they were doing the same to him, judging him, taking his measure, and evaluating exactly how he was a threat. His eyes came to rest on a figure in the crowd that somehow seemed different than the others and he received a strange sense of approval, even as the figure stepped into the light of the bare circle around him.

"Do you remember me?" Shadows still clung to her figure, obscuring her body, but her voice was that of a young woman and her face was unobstructed by shadows. A mask which bore several red markings covered her face, and the way she held herself told him that this was a woman who had seen combat.

"I know your face, but I don't remember." His voice was mournful, almost ashamed. "There is much I don't remember."

He got the distinct feeling that she was smiling at him. "You will, Naruto-kun. You must." A second figure stepped out of the crowd. A petite girl with dark, blue hair; pale skin, and lavender eyes. Shadows clung to her in the same way as they did to the first figure.

"You're memories are what make you who you are." A third figure joined them, this one a young man with black hair in a bowl style cut, and large, over pronounced eyebrows.

"And since you have forgotten who you are, you have lost your power."

The central figures eyes darkened, angry red showing in his eyes, "I do not want that power, it does not belong to me."

The three figures facing him spoke alternating between them, but so quickly and close together that it was almost impossible to track who spoke each word., "That is not your choice. This is your power, cursed as it may be, there will come a time soon when you must bring it out. You may have forgotten who you are, Naruto-kun, but it is not in you to refuse to use the power you have to protect. That is who you are, that is what you must remember. Until you know the reason you fight, the only reason you ever had to fight, you will never remember your true strength. Until then, consider ours as on loan."

They stepped back into the shadows, hiding their features again. And the shadows began to disperse, leaving him alone in the darkness once again.

…

Junko knocked on the door, more than slightly hesitant. She had only recently been released from the intensive care of the Fourth Division and had just returned to the Academy when she hed received the summons to one the private training rooms. Her wound had been fully healed days ago, but she had been kept under extremely close scrutiny for the past few days, apparently because of the unusual method Uzumaki Naruto had used to heal her. She didn't really understand it, but apparently she had been fully healed even before she had been brought back to the Fourth Division, only suffering from an extreme case of exhaustion, which, from what she heard was more than could be said for her aforementioned rescuer.

He hadn't shown any sign of it until hours after the fighting had stopped, but he had suffered from a serious wound to the chest. Isane, the fukutaichou of the Fourth Squad, had talked to her for a short time when she first awoke and told her that she had no idea how he had been on his feet with that wound, and it was amazing that he had survived it, much less been able to show no sign of it for hours after receiving it. Even more incredible, the next day she said that the enigmatic blond had just about fully recovered from his wound in the same amount of time that Junko had recovered from her exhaustion. Isane had also briefly told her of an encounter between him and Soifon-taichou that had just about come to blows, while also rvealing several interesting details about the mysterious Uzumaki Naruto. She found herself puzzling over this mystery through the days that they kept her for observation, and now here she was. She wondered if she was going to get any answers.

All these things she thought in the moments after she knocked, while waiting for an answer. When one was not forthcoming she turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. "Hello, anyone here." Her voice almost echoed in the room, a testament more to its utter barrenness than its size. It was a simple training room, floor covered with mats that would ever so slightly lessen falls, preventing most broken bones but doing nothing for bruised skin or pride. It took her a moment to spy the figure sitting in the corner, legs crossed in a meditative position, blade lying, sheathed, across his knees.

Uzumaki Naruto's eyes were closed and he breathed the slow, deep breaths of meditation. Even as Junko stepped into the room, his voice sounded, the emotionless tones she was used to carrying across the room.

"You are familiar with the katas of the sword taught at the academy, correct?" As he spoke his eyes remained closed. She nodded hesitantly, then realizing her mistake she opened her mouth to speak but was cut off. "Good, perform them now, at your best skill level." His voice was not asking, he simply expected her to obey him. This annoyed her more than a little, but kept her silence, seeing no harm in humoring him. She unsheathed her blade and took the First Stance. Letting out her breath she began, losing herself in the dance. Junko was gifted at sword play. She knew because all of her professors told her so. Her body was graceful and flexible, she had a near perfect sense of balance, and her hands held impressive speed for a beginner. She worked through the forms, moving around more as the difficulty and complexity of the forms increased. Her feet took her from one side of the training room to another, blade flashing through the air, never hesitating for more than an instant.

Eventually her feet carried her next to the form of the meditating Naruto, and though she did not alter her feet to avoid his area, she did carefully keep track of where he was in order to avoid any accidents. She stepped as close to him as she dared, still performing the katas, even as she noticed that his eyes were still closed. Turning her attention back to her practice, she was caught off guard by a flash of movement and a sharp pain in her sword hand. It caused her to release the blade and an instant later an impact to the back of her legs swept them out from under her. Her back impacted the ground hard knocking the breath out of her and she simply laid there for a moment, stunned.

Recovering she jumped to her feet, grabbing her sword as she did so, anger flashing in her eyes. She brought her guard up turning to the person who had struck her and stopped short, confused. Naruto still sat in the same position, eyes closed, holding no emotion on his face. _What the hell just happened?_ Junko eyed him for another moment wary of any attack, but still he sat there. _Whatever, probably just another strange "reflex". _She walked back to the center of the room and restarted her katas from where she left off, though she pushed herself to increase the speed. Once again she ranged around the room blade flashing, though this time, she made sure to stay further away from the other shinigami as she came to his part of the room. Not having to worry about him this time, she put all her concentration into pushing as much speed into the blade as she could. Since her concentration was so absorbed, she was once again caught off guard by the sting of the disarming strike to her hand and her stomach clenched for a terrified instant as her feet were swept out from under her and she hung in the air. Once again she hit the ground hard, but this time she tried to get up almost immediately. "God damn it! What the hell is your pro-" She was both interrupted and prevented from rising by the sheathed sword's point held to her throat.

"You are now dead." His voice never changed emotion and, as he stared down at Junko, she got the distinct feeling that she had failed some sort of test. He held his sword there for a moment before removing it. Junko decided she would just lie there for a moment. "Tell me, why did you leave me be when I first struck you?"

Junko was more than a little confused at the strange actions of the blond, but she sensed that her answer to his question could be important. "I don't really know. I thought that maybe it was just another strange reflex, or something. Your blade was sheathed, so I knew you weren't trying to really hurt me." She got the feeling from his expression, what little of it there was, that there really wasn't a way to explain her inaction, "Beside, you were just sitting there." She felt that her explanation was more than adequate.

"I see. And so, since I _obviously_ meant no harm, you thought it was fine to not only let me be, but to leave yourself open to my attack again." He stared at her for a moment, his cold eyes pinning her to the floor. "Consider this you first lesson: you are never guaranteed a second opportunity to strike, you are never even guaranteed a first. The instant you have it, if something has proved itself to be a threat, you _do not_ simply let it be because it looks or acts harmless, you attack with your full power and hope that it's enough to do the job. If you feel something still has not proved itself to be a threat, you keep your guard up to it at all times. And if you determine it to be a threat, there is no holding back, no gauging its power, you go all out and kill it before it can pull out its aces." He stood there over her staring, blue eyes bearing down on her. "Do you understand me." His voice, though at times had been slightly derisive, had returned to its normal emotionless tones.

She sat there and thought about what he said for a moment, "So you're saying that everything is either a threat or a potential threat. What about trust?" He stared at her for a moment longer before nodding, almost to himself, as if acknowledging that it was a valid question.

"In everyday life, for everyday people, trust is a simple enough matter. They rarely have matters of enough importance to warrant a breaking of trust anyways. But for those who live on the battlefield, those who live and kill and die with sword in hand, trust is not so easy. Trusting the wrong person gets you killed. At the very least." This last he spoke quietly, his voice trailing off into the distance of memories. Silence filled the empty room for minutes before Junko got to her feet. She retrieved her sword and sheathed it. She was just trying to decide if she needed to say something else when his voice spoke again.

"I'm sorry." His voice was no different, but as she looked up and met his eyes, she could not help but see the sorrow there.

"Uh… what?" She felt like she was suffering from emotional whiplash and spent a second contemplating the idea of bipolar shinigami.

He spoke again slowly, hesitantly, as if he feared the very words he spoke. "The technique I used to save you is…imperfect when performed by one such as myself. It demands a heavy price, one that I am unable to pay, and as such there are…consequences." Junko remained silent, not daring to speak as he tried to explain. "You were dying, on the very cusp of death and your wound was such that there was a good chance you'd have died, even if there had been a medic there. This technique, it heals you by sacrificing a portion of the user's soul, and exchanging it with the strain and damage of the recipients soul. The trauma of breaking ones soul is something that cannot be survived, and the very fact that the user is not supposed to survive is instrumental in the successful completion of this technique. My… soul… seems to be unable to truly die, therefore the technique is not completed, because the portion of my soul which is given to you still maintains a link back to mine." He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words for what he had to say. Junko spoke up, unable to hold back the question.

"Since the technique is incomplete…what does that mean for me?" She felt fear of his answer, and they were confirmed as Naruto met her eyes.

"This was not the first time I used that technique. Of the half-dozen people I used this technique on while I was alive, all but one of them died directly because of my using this on them, eventually. Some of them within a year, one of them lived for seven, but only one of their death's was not caused by this technique." Despite the terrible words he spoke, Junko could not contain her curiosity.

"And the one who didn't die because of this technique?"

She couldn't contain the shiver that went through her as Naruto replied, satisfaction tinting his voice, "His death was caused by…something else."

Again silence enfolded them before Junko again spoke, "So… what now? Can anything be done?"

Naurto shook his head, "I really have no idea. The rules could be different from when I was alive, but…there really isn't any way to know for certain. There is only one thing I can do, and its only if you want to. I must repay my debt." He spoke these last words with finality and determination. "Soichiro Junko." He now spoke in formal tones, "I find myself in your debt, if you wish, in order to repay that debt, I will take you as my second and apprentice, teaching and training you, so long as you are willing to put your all into it." His eyes held her transfixed and she considered his words.

"What exactly would you be teaching me?" The corner of his lips curved slightly upward and she was reminded of their first meeting, when she thought that his face was much more suited to smiling. Now, after the first time seeing a true smile, she knew that she had been right.

"Come with me and find out." And with that he spun on his heel, and marched out the room. Junko found herself following him.

…

There were many things he could teach her. Physical training would be a must. Hand to hand and speed would be hammered into her. Kido, he was no more qualified to teach than those at the academy, at least not yet. Probably the biggest thing would be simply how to think and how to approach combat. She would serve as his second for what Unohana had asked him to do. He needed someone he could train, someone who was not already embedded in the squad, but still skilled, at least when it came to basics of combat. He could train her and drill her and eventually after decades of work she would be one the most capable shinigami in all of Soul Society.

That is, if she didn't die first.

Naruto grimaced at the thought, but discarded it as something that he could not influence and instead turned his thoughts to the last thing he could teach her: the sword. He found himself hesitant to train her in this. He fought differently than most, certainly different than anyone in Soul Society. It was a way of fighting that not all could embrace. Finally he decided to just wait and see. If she couldn't do it, or didn't want to after seeing what his method truly was, he could always teach her one of the countless other styles he knew. They were practically unneccessary for him, but she might find one of them more suited to her than the true form of kenjutsu. He would leave it up to her, though she really couldn't decide until she saw it for herself. The question was how best to demonstrate it.

Two figures appeared in their way, further down the street. Their stance made it obvious that they were intentionally barring the way. _Ah, well, no time like the present._

…

Junko recognized the figures before her, and she was terrified. Of all the people in Soul Society, the only one who was possibly more terrifying was Zaraki Kenpachi. And she judged that contest to be more a matter of opinion than something that could actually be determined for sure. Regardless, she did not like the look on the face Kurotsuchi Mayuri as he stared at her blond companion. It was the expression of someone who saw people as objects for his own study and amusement, an expression that showed he had found a new toy that fascinated him. His vice-captain stood at his side, every bit as expressionless as Naruto ever was.

"Ahhh… Uzumaki-san. I have been hearing some truly fascinating stories about you. Interesting powers, from another world, and most fascinating of all… a jinchuuriki." At this last word, his voice lit up with something similar to lust. "You shall be my most interesting specimen I have had the pleasure of dissecting in a long time." He turned to his subordinate. "Nemu, incapacitate him. He is formidable in hand to hand combat, so you may use your sword." With those words, he tossed her a capsule, that, upon contact with her hand, transformed into a thin, black katana.

"Hai, Mayuri-sama." Her voice was as emotionless as her face as she drew her blade and settled into a guard position facing Naruto. The blond merely stared at her for a moment before asking a question.

"Why are you willing to fight me." Her response was simple and immediate.

"Mayuri-sama wills it. He is my creator, therefore, I am his tool." Naruto's eyes narrowed at her response.

"You remind me of someone of I once knew…" He trailed off, and to Junko, it seemed as if he was struggling to remember. Suddenly a smile bloomed from his emotionless face, catching Junko off guard with its brilliance and purity. "Her name was Haku." He shook himself out of his contemplation and turned his attention back to the vice-captain facing him. "Another question…Are you willing to kill me?"

This time her answer was not so immediate and her voice was slightly puzzled, though still resolute, "I would rather not, but I will if I must."

Naruto nodded, Junko thought he was satisfied with her answer. "One final question." For the first time since they confronted him he laid his hand on his sword. When he spoke, his voice was still emotionless, but now held an unmistakable, cold edge, "Are you willing to die?"

Junko saw Nemu's eyes widen slightly, and knew she had been just as caught off guard by his question and tone as she herself had been. Her voice when she answered, held a waver that had not been there before, "Why do you think this must come to death, Uzumaki-san?"

He laughed, just as he had laughed before he killed the hollow. It was the most terrifying thing Junko had ever heard. "You come here with a mad scientist intent on dissecting me, and expect me to _not_ be willing to kill to avoid that. And even beyond that." His voice grew harder with each word, "You have drawn your sword and pointed it at me. And you expect this to _not_ come to death. How _the hell_ could it not?" His voice never rose, but Junko felt that it was the most intimidating thing she had ever heard. Nemu could not hide the uncertainty on her face now. Junko felt like an intruder, but she spoke up before she could think about it.

"Why do you make a big deal out of her drawing her sword? How is that worse than them wanting to dissect you?" His cold blue eyes met hers, and she flinched as she saw a swirl of crimson deep in their depths.

"This is your second lesson, Junko. Almost every weapon known to man was first a tool. The spear and bow were used for hunting, the staff for walking, the scythe for harvesting, the knife for skinning. Think of any weapon you can and most of them were tools long before they were weapons. Except for the sword. The sword was created with only one purpose in mind." Naruto's eyes returned to Nemu, though his words seemed to still be meant for Junko. "To kill. A swordsman who draws his weapon, at least one who truly understands the nature of the sword, is showing his will to kill and the dedication that is strong enough to make him willing to accept his death. _That_ is the Way of the Sword. You must never draw your sword against something that you are not willing to kill, and never when you are fighting for something you are not willing to die for." A ringing sound accompanied his last words and his sword was in his hand. "You have shown your dedication to your master, Nemu-fukutaichou. But I wonder if you truly knew what you were dedicating yourself to." For the first time, Junko was able to see the appearance of his blade. It was in the form of a katana, though slightly longer than the standard length, measuring probably slightly more than four feet, if Junko judged it right. The first quarter of it was a pale blue, the color of the sky, which faded into the normal gray of the rest of its blade.

They stood there for a moment before a slight chuckle was heard. "Very amusing, but your words are meaningless. Nemu. I'm growing impatient." At her captain and creator's words, Junko saw her determination return.

"Hai, Mayuri-sama." She gripped her hilt hard and prepared to attack.

Naruto shook his head, whispering quietly under his breath, "I'm sorry." Junko knew he hadn't meant her to hear. He spoke again this time louder, but without the edge that his previous words had held. "Junko, you asked what I could teach you. Stand back, and see for yourself." Junko took several steps back at his words, her eyes never leaving the two figures.

His sword was held in his hand as he took several steps forward, halting when he was just out of reach of Nemu's sword. He raised his sword into a low guard position, eyes never leaving his opponent's face, searching for something Junko could not be certain of. They stood like that for more than a few moments, each weighing the other without moving, prepared to attack at the slightest hint of weakness, ready to defend at the smallest show of aggression. Naruto's voice unexpectedly broke the silence, a hint of approval in it intermingling with sorrow.

"You are skilled fuku-taichou, there are not many who have lasted this long against me. But you will still lose, because you still do not understand the true Way of the Sword."

Nemu's voice was more than puzzled, echoing Junko's own feelings. "How can you know how skilled I am, we have yet to cross blades. And it is easy to survive this long when we simply stand here." Her sword never wavered from her guard position as she spoke. "As for your Way of the Sword, you are right, I do not understand it. But how that will guarantee your victory is still uncertain to me."

Naruto smiled, but this one was a smile that was almost an apology. "Then attack me and I will show you." Nemu eyed him for a moment, wary for any trick, before replying.

"Very well." Junko saw the next instant in almost slow motion. She saw the muscles in Nemu's arm tense in preparation to strike, she saw her begin to lift her foot to step forward. She saw the play of emotions on Nemu's face as the fukutaichou attacked the squadless shinigami. She also saw, though just barely and only a glimpse, the glint of steel as Naruto's blade flashed up from his low guard, deftly avoiding Nemu's blade and sending a spray of crimson through the air as it went through her throat before the woman even realized she needed to defend. Naruto sheathed his blade as she hit the ground.

"The Way of the Sword is understanding that to attack is to kill. The Way of the Sword is to determine the victor with the first strike." His voice was dead, holding no emotion as he spoke, never turning his eyes from the woman bleeding out on the ground in front of him, trying to breath around the blood that choked her from the wound in her neck. Blood dripped out of her mouth as she found herself unable to inhale anything else. "There have not been many who understood the need to wait for weakness to show before launching your first attack. That is why I said I was impressed with you for lasting so long." Junko turned away from the sight but she couldn't shut out the sound of his voice, or Nemu's gasping and struggling for breath. She found herself hunched over, emptying the contents of her stomach. A new voice intruded on the scene.

"Troublesome brat, I should let you die for failing me." Junko turned back to the scene and found the Twelfth Squad Captain standing over Nemu.

"You would let someone loyal to you die, simply for failing you." Junko's eyes went to Naruto, surprised at the rage in his voice. Terror held her as she saw the flaming crimson in his eyes and felt the rage of his blood lust once again. "Just like Haku. Her loyalty was to someone who did nothing to deserve it as well. Though at least he had the decency to try to earn it in the end." The oppressive feeling increased and Junko found herself unable to rise from her knees, though Mayuri seemed to be barely effected.

"Ah, impressive bloodlust, Naruto-kun. Ah, well. Maybe another time, I find myself needing to repair my…tool." With those words he bent over and placed a pill in Nemu's mouth. Her eyes had already grown glassy and the bleeding had slowed, but with the contact of the pill it ceased altogether. He picked her up and with a final "Ja ne." He was gone.

Silence fell over the street, mingling with the blood and vomit which were the only sign that a fight had taken place.

"Come on, Junko."

Once again, though this time somewhat fearfully, she followed him.

…

Naruto entered the office of the captain of the Fourth Division. Blood had spattered his cloak, but he either did not notice or did not care.

"Unohana-taichou, I wish to accept your proposal with the addition of Soichiro Junko as my second." Retsu Unohana looked up from her paperwork and eyed the blond, noticing the blood on his clothes, though she seemed to pay it little more mind than Naruto.

"Excellent, there only remains the question of title. Given your special position, I cannot very well give you an ordinary rank." She thought about it for a moment before continuing. " Uzumaki Naruto, Soichiro Junko you are both hereby accepted into the Fourth Division. Your responsibilities, in addition to those of standard Fourth Division members, will be that of Combat Instructors. It will be your responsibility to prepare medical squads and medics for combat in the field. Uzumaki Naruto, you will be granted the newly created rank of Yondaime Ken, the Fourth's Sword."


End file.
